Racial Diversity at The Running Event (TRE) in Austin, TX
From 2022: Dear RIDC community,
As a partner of TRE, our presence helps ensure that racial diversity is top of mind during event planning. This year will be extra special because the RIDC will be heading to Austin a few days earlier to host our first-ever board retreat.
In spite of all the excitement, we would be remiss if we didn't voice our concerns about what's happening throughout the state of Texas. There are current and pending laws that disproportionately impact BIPOC communities. These laws are antithetical to the RIDC's mission and vision.
More specifically: We know that Texas has a long history of racial oppression. In 1861, slave owners concealed the news of the Emancipation Proclamation, keeping Black people in bondage until June 19, 1865—a day now celebrated as Juneteenth—when they were told they were free. Today, new state legislation unfairly burdens Black communities and communities of color. The 2021 Senate Bill 3 was designed to keep critical race theory out of Texas public schools, and SB 1—a voting law—limits how and where voters can cast ballots. Both these pieces of legislation disproportionately affect people of color. Redistricting efforts have diminished the power of voters of color, and a 2021 healthcare bill (SB 8) places restrictions on reproductive rights that will deepen existing racial disparities in reproductive health.
Thank you, Michelle Hamilton, for helping us craft this statement in 2022.
