Milwaukee's HaRUNBee Walk/Run for Healthy Birth Outcomes has 6th Anniversary to Kick Off Bronzeville Week
The HaRUNBee Walk/Run welcomed all ages. (Picture by Justin Gordon)
On the morning of August 7, 2021 the 6th annual HaRUNBee Walk/Run for Healthy Birth Outcomes took place on Martin Luther King Drive and North Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The 5k walk/run was the first of many Bronzeville Week events, including day parties, brunches and demonstrations both in person and online.
The walk/run began thanks to a vision from Tonda Thompson, founding board member and executive director of the National Coalition for Healthy Black Families, which was established in 2018. Having a personal connection to the topic of healthy birth outcomes, Thompson uses her son’s footprint as the HaRUNBee logo.
Thompson’s work focuses on preventative actions, as she believes racism is a root cause of infant mortality issues.
“The City and County announced racism as a public health crisis, which is a good first step. Let’s eat healthy as it is a preventative method to reduce prematurity and will also reduce infant mortality within African American communities. We should be able to help ourselves,” Thompson said.
Many elected officials in Wisconsin have shown their support to the walk/run, including County Executive David Crowley, Senator Lena Taylor and Alderwoman Milele Coggs.
Alderwoman Milele Coggs (L) and Tonda Thompson (R). (Picture by Justin Gordon)
With HaRUNBee being in Alderwoman Coggs’ district, she noted it is bittersweet that this neighborhood is where the first walk/run in the nation is bringing awareness to this issue.
“I wish we didn’t have such high numbers but because we do, I’m grateful Tonda has created a way to address, inform and change the infant mortality numbers here,” said Coggs.
This year 180 people participated in the walk/run, which was also offered virtually due to the pandemic. Coming in first was Quentin Poquette, followed by Edward Littlefield, Christopher Coleman and Sharaka Berry. The first place winner virtually was Ramone Sanders.
Thompson’s second contribution to the eventful week was a workshop showing the basics of woodworking.
For more information on the HaRUNbee 5k, click here, and other topics related to the National Coalition for Healthy Black Families, click here.