“For so long, I was just focused on performance. I didn’t realize I had power. I didn’t know I could speak up, use my voice in other ways.” Those were the words of Allyson Felix—one of the greatest track and field athletes in history—spoken two years ago at Gwyneth Paltrow’s In Goop Health summit in Santa Monica. Back then, Felix touched on her deeply personal battle against Nike’s controversial maternal policy. But the platform was limited. The full story—her struggle, her courage, her triumph—remained largely untold. Until now!

Fast forward to 2025, and the game has changed. On April 18, Felix took to her Instagram story to re-share a post from DCTVNY. The post announced a major milestone: the upcoming premiere of “She Runs the World,” a powerful new documentary set to debut at this year’s Tribeca Festival. “This one feels a little unreal,” she wrote. “So many incredible people poured their hearts into this to help tell my story. I’m deeply grateful for the chance to premiere it @tribeca.” So, what can to expect in the documentary? 

“She Runs the World” isn’t just about medals and victories, though Felix has plenty of both. This 85-minute documentary dives deep into her groundbreaking advocacy for female athletes, particularly mothers, in the sports world. For the first time, viewers will hear not just from Allyson, but also from the people who’ve stood beside her through it all: her family, her legendary coach Bob Kersee, and Olympic icon Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Together, they paint a vivid portrait of resilience, resistance, and ultimately, revolution—one that helped shift the culture of sports and gave power back to women athletes everywhere. Now, it comes to the ticket. 

Well, the 2025 Tribeca Festival runs from June 4 to June 15, and “She Runs the World” will be screened at two iconic New York City venues:

• June 5 @ 8:30 PM – SVA Theatre
• June 7 @ 3:15 PM – Village East by Angelika
• June 8 @ 6:15 PM – Village East by Angelika
• June 14 @ 12:15 PM – Village East by Angelika

Tickets are already on sale—and if you’re a fan of track and field, women’s rights, or simply powerful storytelling, you won’t want to miss this. But let us give you the background of the 70% pay cut from Nike. 

Allyson Felix’s stands made a groundbreaking moment in the track and field world 

On May 22, 2019, Allyson Felix—already one of the most decorated athletes in history—penned a groundbreaking opinion piece for The New York Times that shook the world of sports to its core. In her own words, she wrote: “I decided to start a family in 2018 knowing that pregnancy can be ‘the kiss of death’ in my industry.” Why would becoming a mother be so dangerous for a world-class athlete?

Behind the lights, the medals, and the endorsement deals, the reality was far grimmer. Felix was in the middle of renegotiating her Nike contract, which had ended in December 2017. Despite everything she’d accomplished—six Olympic golds, 11 world titles—Nike came to the table with an offer that slashed her pay by 70%. But Allyson wasn’t built to be silent.

When Allyson returned to Nike, she didn’t demand more money. What she asked for was simple, human, and just: contractual protection so she wouldn’t be penalized for not performing at her peak during pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Nike said no. However, Felix didn’t back down. “If I, one of Nike’s most widely marketed athletes, couldn’t secure these protections, who could?” she asked. The standstill was public, painful, and powerful. What followed was a tidal wave.

Her story sparked conversations across industries and helped push Nike and other brands to rethink their policies on maternal protections. Ironically, the very reason Felix had chosen Nike nearly a decade earlier was because she believed in their values. “I could have signed elsewhere for more money,” she admitted. “But I believed in what Nike stood for—or what I thought it stood for.” That belief was broken. But what she built in its place was far greater: a movement. 

Now, in 2025, that movement takes shape on screen in “She Runs the World”, a documentary premiering at the Tribeca Festival this June. This time, Felix isn’t just running the race—she’s rewriting the rules for every woman who dares to dream of more.