GirlTrek, the health movement and nonprofit for Black women in the country, is bringing together thousands of families across the country this Thanksgiving weekend to start a new tradition called the Black Family 5K.
Back for the fifth year, GirlTrek’s Black Family 5K encourages families – blood or chosen – to get out in nature and take a Thanksgiving walk or hike. The Black Family 5K is a hallmark end-of-year celebration in the GirlTrek movement celebrating fitness, family and fun.
“This is the greatest story ever told. The story of the Black family. The story of Blood ties. Squad goals and crews. It’s the story of tribes – the Dahomey and the Ashanti– and their descendants, us. It’s the story of the Middle Passage and the Great Migration. It’s the story of what we’ve survived and what was passed down. It’s a story of our traditions – ancient, spiritual, and practical. The traditions that have sustained us and the new ones we create each day,” said Vanessa Garrison, GirlTrek cofounder.
“It’s the story of the Obamas, the Alis, the Wayans, and the Winans. The story of the Jenkins and the Johnsons. It’s the story of Black family royalty. It’s a story of legacy. A story of the entanglements that run through our family tree. A story of unconditional love. Of men who stayed. Of teen moms who beat the odds. Of 80s babies who parented themselves through the crack epidemic. Of loved ones on lockdown. Of the elders. Of the ancestors who knew the end before they knew the beginning.”
The Black Family 5K is also a rebuff to the hyper consumerism that has become associated with this time of year. On average, Black families owed nearly $10,000 in consumer debt –- nearly two times more than Latinx families. And Black women are paid 63 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. Coupled with the wage gap, more consumer debt means more financial vulnerability for Black families. More than 50% of Black women have less than $200 in savings and don’t have enough money to pay for their basic needs if a crisis hit.
Instead of overspending and racking up more debt, GirlTrek encourages families to invest in bettering their collective health, which can lead to a more prosperous, fulfilling future.
Hosting a Black Family 5K walk is simple and free. Register at blackfamily5k.com to create an official race kit for your family complete with official T-shirts, customizable race bibs, victory medals and more.
