The University of Arizona’s Department of Multicultural Programs and Services and the Tucson Indian Center has a great way to help you get a jump start on better health this Sunday.
The programs are inviting the campus and Tucson communities to participate in the 1st Annual Multicultural Classic Fun Run & Walk. The event is free and registration is open through race day with free T-shirts for the first 100 registered participants. The course begins and ends at the UA Mall stage after a five-kilometer loop through campus.
Students of the African American Student Affairs, the Asian Pacific American Student Affairs, the Chicano/Hispano Student Affairs and the Native American Student Affairs offices are participating in the event to raise awareness for the services offered at the UA cultural centers.
“We want freshmen, sophomore and any other interested students to become aware of the four cultural centers on campus and for them to take advantage of the resources and services that are available,” said Jennifer Stanley, who helped organize the event.
Stanley is a senior majoring in agriculture technology management and is a member of the Navajo nation. She actively participates in programs offered through the UA Native American Student Affairs office and believes more students should get involved.
The centers, she said, help increase retention rates and build a more diverse campus.
She is promoting the run, she said, because of the growing health disparities among minorities.
“Minorities are faced with increasing rates of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Exercise is a tool to help fight these diseases. This event will hopefully serve as a cross-cultural community builder and an avenue to increase awareness of health disparities as well as the benefits of exercise for everyone,” Stanley said.
Race registration:
http://www.dmps.arizona.edu/classicrun/login.asp
Same-day registration begins at 6:45 a.m.
Runners begin at 7:30 a.m.
Walkers begin at 7:45 a.m.
Jennifer Stanley
520-621-3835