By Katie Montgomery | September 19, 2022
Educational table organizers volunteering for last year’s race.
The second annual University at Albany Race for Equity 5k, featuring adjustments to accommodate participants of all abilities and encourage community involvement, is set to be held Oct. 8.
UAlbany’s Race for Equity 5k was established last year to celebrate successes of and recognize the work yet to be done in the fight for racial equity. The race was spearheaded by UAlbany Director of Equity and Compliance Amelia Barbadoro, with the goal of inspiring the Albany community towards creating change. Contributions were also made by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Intercultural Student Engagement, and UAlbany Men’s Basketball Team.
The timed race will follow the perimeter ring road encircling UAlbany’s Uptown Campus, eventually crossing the finish line located at Casey Stadium. There, participants can learn more about racial equity leaders, as well as work that still needs to be done to promote equity.
To increase inclusivity for individuals of all abilities and those who would like to learn but not necessarily participate in the race, educational booths will be moved off of the racetrack to the Casey Stadium finish line area.
One recent addition to the roster of informational booths is a student-suggested station devoted to the Crown Act, outlining regulations prohibiting discrimination based on of the wearing of natural or protective hairstyles by black individuals.
The push to involve K-12 students of the community to participate was another new addition to this year’s race.
“Racial equity impacts the whole community,” Amelia Barbadoro said. “The whole community should be able to participate in this event.”
It's her hope that by increasing participation in the event, we may promote unity and change.
“I want to see UAlbany students inspiring community youth to get excited about the racial equity movement,” Barbadoro said. “A brother or sisterhood of sorts in the fight for racial equity.”
Barbadoro’s inspiration for creating this event stems from her history as a civil rights attorney, where she has a passion for uplifting racial equity. She aims to inspire change through learning from the victories and leaders of our past instead of focusing only on loss, explaining that “it is easy to lose hope when we only focus on the negative.”
Referencing former First Lady Michelle Obama, Barbadoro recites “history has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own.”
With increased participation comes an increased need for volunteers, particularly in checking in participants, handing water out to racers, staffing the information booths, as well as just cheering on racers along the route.
All participants are required to register for the event, which is open to all students and members of the greater-Albany community, including K-12 students. All UAlbany students can register for free at the Official 5k Registration Page. For more information and volunteer sign-up, contact Amelia Barbadoro at abarbadoro@albany.edu.