April 4th is the anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A 5K held in his honor will raise money for charity and aims to raise awareness about healthcare disparities.
Vel Johnson is in charge of promoting the Unity 5K on April 4th.
"We hear of marathons, 5Ks and 3Ks all the time. But this is much more than a walk or a run because it's a reminder that health care, health equity and humanity all belong to us."
The Unity 5K is a partnership between the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy and the Civil Right's Institute at Florida State University. Institute Director Ted Ellis says participation is free and is open to everyone.
"Everybody can come out; kids and adults can walk and run. And this moment of participation and inclusion, we can share thoughts and ideas as neighbors."
The prime purpose, he adds, is to support FSU's long-standing goal of bringing more health care access to the entire region. Especially to those for whom such care has been difficult or impossible to obtain.
"This goes beyond a one-day or one-week program. How we service and take care of the community and this becomes the model institution for this nationally."
The proposed merger of FSU Health with Tallahassee Memorial, Ellis says, will further advance the cause of health care equity. Vel Johnson says the inaugural Unity 5K kicks off Saturday, April 4th at 8 in the morning.
"We're starting at Integration Statue and then we'll walk the perimeter of the campus. And then come up through the center of the campus from Legacy Walk up to Integration Statue. There'll be a block party from 10 a.m. until noon. And it's important also to let the community know that we're honoring Dr. Martin Luther King's conviction that health care equity is a moral imperative."
https://one.fsu.edu/foundation/event-registration/2026/cri-unity-5k
