Keith’s Story

Keith Wiley, FRATL Founder and Runner

Front Runners Atlanta (FRATL) is a 501(c)3 non-profit established in 1991 that supports the LGBTQ+ community through running, walking, and social events in Atlanta and surrounding areas. 

We were formed by a group of courageous runners, like Keith Wiley, who wanted to find a community away from the nightclubs and circuit parties that defined the era. What started as a running group soon became a family.

As the FRATL family grew, so did the public health crisis of HIV/AIDs. They watched friends who contracted HIV lose insurance coverage for their diagnosis and be turned away from hospitals. One of our founders, Keith Wiley, remarked, “Our brothers were dying, and no one seemed to care.” 

In 1991, FRATL created the Atlanta Pride Run to give the community what was needed – hope and to show some people actually cared. All of the proceeds from the race went to AID ATLANTA, a nonprofit that was pivotal in many of their lives. It provided end-of-life care, grief counseling, and support groups for loved ones impacted by HIV.

Watch his story below: