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A Unity Walk through downtown Grand Island will be held this summer.
"It's an opportunity to show support and show diversity," said Paul Briseno, president of the Multicultural Coalition, which is sponsoring the event.
The event has two goals to connect the community and to raise funds for the Multicultural Coalition.
The June 28 walk is 13 blocks or one mile in length. It will start from Second and Pine, proceed west along Second Street, turn north at Eddy Street for one block and then continue east on Third Street, ending at the Central Nebraska Ethnic Festival, Briseno said.
Multicultural Coalition Director Odalys Perez said the walk is a chance for all cultures, all races to come together something she is "very, very excited" about.
Perez said Grand Island School Superintendent Steve Joel, who is past president and a current board member of the coalition, came up with the walk idea.
Right after the local board started working to organize the walk, Perez attended a conference for inclusive communities and heard about a similar walk in Omaha.
"The concept is good," she said. "This is a good opportunity to be together and talk."
"The message is we're all one," Joel said of his vision for the walk. "We've got diversity diversity is a positive."
After having been caught up in the immigration raid at Swift & Co. in December 2006 and caught up in other issues, Joel said, the Unity Walk is truly the next step for Grand Island's diverse population.
"It's not about politics. It's not about immigration. It's about coming together," Joel said. "It's cool to participate in the Unity Walk."
With a $10 entry fee per walker that includes a T-shirt, Joel said the walk will serve as a fundraiser for the coalition. He said the coalition's funds from the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority money are drying up and new revenue sources are being sought.
"I'd be disappointed if we didn't make $12,000, $15,000, $18,000 for the first year" of the walk, Joel said.
While the fundraising goal may be bold, Joel said the coalition doesn't have a lot of years to wait to raise money.
Tying the walk into the Central Nebraska Ethnic Festival seemed a natural fit, he said.
"The Ethnic Festival is a way to celebrate diversity diversity is good but we're a community of one," Joel said.
"If you believe in a community of one, buy a T-shirt and walk a mile," he said.
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