The first-ever Race Against Racism, a 5K run around campus to promote diversity and multiculturalism in the Penn State community, will be held Sunday.

Jen Crawford, the diversity chair for the Association of Residence Hall Students (ARHS), said the race is a chance to empower students to take a stand against racism.

"The Race Against Racism is a form of advocacy for students on campus and community members," said Kathleen McDermott, a coordinator for Residence Life. "ARHS and Residence Life are supporting and organizing the event."

McDermott said the idea came from brainstorming through the Residence Life Department, but John Hurst, assistant director of Residence Life, came up with the idea.

"I was looking for a way to connect students to a program about diversity," he said. "The race came from a series of brainstorming ideas of how to give students the opportunity to reach beyond their normal forms of advocacy and vocalism to actually run in support of diversity awareness on campus."

Hurst said the 5K race course consists of one loop around campus.
The course begins and ends in front of the East Halls quad area.

He added that anyone is welcome to participate. The registration fee is $12 if you register before Sunday at the Race for Racism page on the Residence Web site, http://www.sa.psu. edu/rl/rar/, and $15 if you register on the day of the race. All proceeds will go directly to ARHS for diversity programming.

There will also be a diversity fair held on the lawn in front of East Halls, facing Curtin Road from 9 a.m. to noon the day of the race.

"The diversity fair is an opportunity for students and community members to become more involved with volunteer and leadership positions from student organizations on campus," McDermott said. "The students will be able to talk to the individuals in charge and will be given the chance to sign up for events on campus that help in diversity issues and awareness."

The goal of the fair is to provide students with information on how to become involved on and around campus, Hurst said.

"We look at it as sort of a time for students to get involved with their community through campus and community offices and student groups," he said.

Kimberly Roth, executive vice president of ARHS, said the goal of this event as a whole is for students to get involved and learn about diversity and raise funds to put on more diversity programs throughout the year.

Hurst said he hopes students go beyond the idea of tolerance and start to think about the acceptance of each other and other values different from their own.

"I hope students will come out to get some fresh air, exercise and take an interest in their campus and community," he said.