First Annual Move Campaign (2020)

Racism is a public health crisis. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Aubrey, Tony McDade, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin. These few of many lives, forced into becoming hashtags, violently stolen from family, friends, and loved ones, exemplify our country’s racist history of oppression and marginalization now disguised as structural inequalities, biases, and intolerance for black bodies. The recent events are nothing new, and continue to underscore a system where black lives are feared, where black lives are not valued, where black lives do not matter. We at Medicine in Motion are grieving as we face the realities of enduring racism in the United States. We are enraged, confused, and frustrated by institutional inaction despite persistent demand for change voiced by kneelings, writings, songs, sermons, marches, protests and so much more. It is time for change. As written by the SNMA chapter at the Harvard Medical School, we recognize that we are “current and future healthcare leaders, and as part of the privileged few with access to resources and platforms, it is critical that we recognize our duty to actively safeguard the health of our most vulnerable populations.” It is our duty to alleviate pain and suffering that disproportionately exacerbate the health and well-being of the communities and populations we train to heal.  We at Medicine in Motion would like to express our support for the Black community, for protests against racial injustice and prejudice and the contempt for a country without justice, equality, and prosperity for all – especially those for which it has been ignored or silenced since the beginning.

We will act. We recognize there are countless ways to contribute to the changes that need to occur in the world such as advocating for patients, working to enact policy changes, etc., and we urge our communities to come together to attack this from all angles rather than remaining idle or complicit. We at Medicine in Motion have decided to play to our strengths by building community through a summer long campaign of (physically distanced, but socially unified) athletic and wellness events directed at addressing this public health crisis, raising awareness of social inequalities and determinants of health, and fundraising for organizations already doing phenomenal work to address these issues. Our goal with this campaign is to show support, promote equal rights, affect change, and re-imagine a country where everyone can live without fear, discrimination, and the unnecessary loss of life. We want these efforts to extend beyond the coming days or weeks. We encourage you to join us in this campaign and welcome any and all ideas you may have. We must make a difference. We must make it through this together. Let’s address racism for what it is – a public health crisis – and do our parts to create something better.

OUR BENEFACTORS

NAACP LDF – The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. is America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans. https://www.naacpldf.org/

National Bail Out – A Black-led and Black-centered collective of abolitionist organizers, lawyers and activists building a community-based movement to support vulnerable persons adversely impacted by mass incarceration and system racism. https://www.nationalbailout.org/

Innercity Weightlifting – ICW reduces youth violence by increasing the economic mobility and social inclusion of proven-risk young people through career tracks in and beyond fitness in Boston and the surrounding neighborhoods. https://www.innercityweightlifting.org/

Inala Wangarra (Australia) – Inala Wangarra is a not for profit, community development organisation that delivers a variety of sport, recreation, justice, education, employment, health, cultural and arts programs for all ages. They are owned, managed and staffed by local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Their goal is to enhance and strengthen the skills and capacity of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community within Inala and surrounding areas.

November 21st – November 29th

The Olympiad is a multi-sport competition aimed to raising money for our MOVE campaign charities including the NAACP LDF, National Bail Out and more. Fundraising will be tracked based on chapters; more information will be sent after participants register below. The Olympiad consists of three events: a HIIT Time Trial, 5K race, and 13.1 mile bike race. Participants may partake in one or more of these events and submit a time for each for a chance at winning exclusive Medicine in Motion swag.

Click here for a sample message to ask for donations!

To donate towards an Olympiad participant’s pledge, select their chapter page from the following link and click the ‘donate’ button

Chapter pages

If the participant is not from a Medicine in Motion chapter, you may find their donation portal here General Medicine in Motion Olympiad Donations