First Annual Promise Run (2020)

Join us on our virtual Promise Run on Sunday, September 6th. We have seen an enormous movement in the US and around the world in response to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. This summer, our MOVE campaign has raised a significant amount of money for organizations like the NAACP and National Bailout. We want to maintain this momentum continuing into the Fall. One part of this will be our Promise Run. This run symbolizes our Promise to not stop pushing for equality whether that means attending protests, continuing to educate yourself on issues of race, or supporting organizations that advocate for BIPOC.

There is no fee for registration but we are asking all runners to pledge to fundraise for this event. This fundraising pledge is non-binding but we would love for all runners make an earnest effort to meet their goal. The top 5 fundraisers will receive FREE New Balance X Medicine in Motion apparel. All proceeds will go to the NAACP and National Bailout.

THE MOVE CAMPAIGN’S MISSION 

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.

Distances: 2.23 – Ahmaud’s distance 3.13 – Breonna’s distance 5.25 – George’s distance 8.23 – Jacob’s distance

Fundraising pledge: We are asking for runners to pledge to raise money for this race. We have no minimum but ask that runners pledge what they think is reasonable for them. We hope that runners will ask friends, family, colleagues and peers to help reach their pledge amount and let them know WHY you are running and the promise you’re making. Navigate to a chapter page via the top menu bar to make a donation towards the pledge of a member of that chapter. Click HERE to make your pledge

Charities: All money raised will be distributed to our charities. Click HERE to find more information on each of the charities the MOVE campaign supports. Additionally, if you would like a portion of your donation to Medicine in Motion, that option is available at the donate window.

Be featured on the MM social media: Send us a picture of you going on a training run for this race and a blurb on WHY you’re running and we’ll feature you on our social media. Email your picture and blurb to info@medmotion.org

Donation template: Use the template here for sending out emails.