The second annual Race Against Racism will take place on Sunday, September 23, 2018. The Race Against Racism is a state-wide annual anti-racist event, organized by youth from several Vermont high schools. All are welcome to a public rally, comprised of a short list of notable speakers, lots of live music and performances, and an optional 5k run or walk beforehand, this year on a scenic loop through the city of Montpelier. The goal of the event is to further a conversation surrounding racial justice in Vermont and to ensure the fight for racial justice is visible and accessible to all.
Runners and walkers include many high school sports teams from around Vermont, their classmates, and many community members of all kinds. For the rally portion of the program there is wood-fired pizza, music, speakers, and performance. Many local social justice organizations will be promoting their work and engaging the public in political activities. There will be activities for children too!
Music includes A2VT, a Winooski-based group that will be performing Afro-pop infused rap music and dance, and SoundCheck, a 13-piece band made up of high school students singing and rapping about social justice. Spoken word will be performed by 18 year old Lena Ginawi of Muslim Girls Making Change, a nationally-acclaimed slam poetry group, and Rivan Calderin, an 18 year old rapper, singer, poet, and activist.
The amazing lineup of speakers include Kesha Ram, who was among the youngest to ever be elected to Vermont House and the first woman of color to run for statewide office in Vermont. Raquel Mattos is a freshman at Essex High School. MaryAnn Songhurst and Hope Petraro, juniors at Montpelier High School, helped raise the Black Lives Matter flag at Montpelier High School last year, making MHS the first public high school in the nation to do so. We’re also looking forward to hearing from the Youth 4 Change team, coming to represent Brattleboro in this years’ event.
Any funds raised will be contributed to organizations statewide that advocate for racial justice. This year the partners to share in this fundraising effort are Migrant Justice and Youth 4 Change at The Root Social Justice Center!
Event Details
Date: Sunday, September 23, 2018 from 11:30-1:30. Race at 11:30, Rally at 12:00.
Location: Race is through the city streets of Montpelier beginning at MHS, rally is at Montpelier High School
Press & Sponsorship Contacts: Hope Petraro and Heather McLane
Contact Email: [email protected]
Contact Phone: 347.608.2105
Website: https://raceagainstracismvt.wordpress.com
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/999818500193872/
RunReg: https://www.runreg.com/race-against-racism
Thank you to our generous sponsors: National Life, ACLU of Vermont, Positive Pie, Young Writers Project, J. Langdon, Vermonters for Justice in Palestine, Conneman & Associates, Jumping Raindrops Sewing & Design, and the Vermont National Lawyers Guild.
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