Each year social justice advocates, change agents, students, community leaders, corporate employees, youth-based organizations, families, cultural groups, friends and teams of walkers enjoy a leisurely 5K walk in a select New Jersey city park. The Diversity Stride promotes community unity and helps to ensure our neighbors of all races, faiths, ethnicities, identities and ages know that they are valued and respected.
Jersey City was an appropriate setting for this event having been recognized as the most diverse city in the country. According to an February 2015 Jersey Journal article “Census information from 2009 to 2013 said foreign-born people made up 39 percent of Jersey City’s population and that a whopping 52.1 percent of respondents spoke a language other than English at home. Major languages spoken in the city of 247,597 include Spanish, Tagalog and Arabic.”
Rachel Bueide, Peace Corps Recruiter for North Jersey, had a display at the event and RPCVs accompanied by family members, participated in the event, some as part of a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Team, established by Christie Musa, making contributions toward the events cause. This event will be considered by the RPCV-NJ Volunteer Committee for future participation.
All Diversity Stride proceeds benefit our youth leadership programs, which help to provide more diversity education and leadership development training to students throughout New Jersey.
Thanks to those RPCVs and family members who participated.
RPCV-NJ 