On Saturday, September 5th, 2020, I'll be attempting to run a solo ultramarathon (this one is just 50 kilometers, or ~31.1 miles) in Marin & San Francisco Counties. Through this event, I would like to benefit an organization that is important to me: Movimiento Cosecha.
Before we start, here is the LINK TO DONATE.
I've gotten the chance to do a lot of amazing runs while here in San Francisco, CA. Some are pictured below. This ultramarathon will be my longest run ever, longer than my previous two distance records of the Philly and Boston Marathons. And here is the link to my tentative route (30.9 miles, 5,200 ft elev. gain):
Briefly, Movimiento Cosecha has responded to the coronavirus health crisis by facilitating direct relief to undocumented workers in the United States. In the wake of undocumented workers being denied the most basic government aid like health insurance, unemployment benefits, or stimulus checks while also comprising a significant portion of our country's most at-risk essential workforce, Movimiento Cosecha insists: el estado no nos cuida, nos cuida la comunidad (the government does not take care of us, the community does).
In 2019, The Wrong Kind of Green Collective explained Movimiento Cosecha as follows:
Movimiento Cosecha GR is a social movement that has a much broader goal of winning dignity, respect and permanent protection for all immigrants. This movement utilizes trained organizers who will then train other people in the same skills. Those involved with Movimiento Cosecha GR are not paid and the fundraising they do is grassroots that relies on general community members to contribute. Cosecha GR has a power analysis and a theory of change to help them achieve their goals, along with the use of tactics and strategies that not only challenges the systems of power and oppression, they provide people with an opportunity to engage in collective liberation.
I believe in Movimiento Cosecha's mission, and I want to support their relief and advocacy work as much as I can. The only way we can expect this movement to flourish and for real change to happen is to make our money work towards that end. Please support this event by donating directly through the link above. Afterwards, please message me (e.g. rayjfriend@gmail.com) with your donation amount so I can keep track of how the fundraiser is going :)
A big thank you to Sean Farahani, Baylee Robey, Dom Feola, Rachael Wittmer, et. al. for the inspiration to organize this fundraiser.
Thanks!
-Raymond