Running for Change Virtual 5K Run/Walk & 10K Bike Race

Welcome and thank you for participating in the “Running for Change” Virtual 5k Run/Walk and 10k Bike Race. This race will be used to continue spreading awareness and support on behalf of the national “Black Lives Matter” movement. It also serves as an opportunity to stand in solidarity and love, as we as celebrate the Black community.

My peers and I acknowledge that there is much work to be done in terms of what it means to be an ally and strongly feel that one of the fundamental tenets to achieve this is rooted in education.

With that in mind, this event’s donations will go to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit called “Opened Eyes,” located in Erie, Pennsylvania. Opened Eyes is an organization committed to educating, developing and raising awareness about positive self-identity while embracing cultural differences.

From the website:

“Opened Eyes is a program designed to help others create a positive identity founded on holistic diversity perspective. Our program and curriculum emphasizes an educational model – designed for children, adolescents, and young adults – encompassing a multiracial/multicultural phenomenon by being asked the question, “what are you?”

However, due to the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, the “Running for Change” race will be held virtually.

The start date of the virtual race will be Friday June 19th at 12pm and will end Friday June 26th at 8pm. 

Why June 19th?

 Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is a widely celebrated holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865 Union Soldiers arrived in Galveston, TX to announce the end of the Civil War and declare freedom for the enslaved. These were the last people to learn of their freedom.

Today, Juneteenth is celebrated with barbecues, prayer, educational seminars, and the recognition of cultural achievements within the Black community. Though the day officially recognizes the end of slavery, it also serves as an opportunity to reflect upon the ways in which American systems continue to segregate and discriminate against our Black neighbors.

To learn more about Juneteenth, visit www.juneteenth.com

All participants will receive a race decal and the top ten runners, (only), will receive a free t-shirt. A special thanks to Flesh and Bone for the merchandise design and Leadhead Creative for our screen printing.

Thank you again for your participation, your donations and your desire for a more equitable world,

Let’s run…walk and bike… for change!

Sincerely,

Gabrielle