O'odham Unity Run Benefit

O'odham Unity Run Benefit
Feb. 26, 2011, 10 am to 5 pm; Live show at 6 pm
Location Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Multi-Purpose Building, 1880 N. Longmore Rd., (NW corner of McDowell and Longmore) Salt River, Arizona
By Alex Soto, Thomas Breeze Marcus
Come help raise funds and food donations for our O'odham runners from Salt River, Gila River, Ak-Chin, Tohono O'odham and O'odham in Mexico as they make their journey from the Salt River Indian Community to Posa Verde, Mexico.
We, members of all O'odham communities, will be hosting this benefit to help raise donations.
Featuring Music performers DJ Element (Salt River,) Blackfire (Flagstaff,) Definition Rare (Albuquerque, NM,) Shining Soul & Darrell D (Phoenix and Tohono O'odham,) Cozmobrown & DJ Lingos (Tucson) and DJentrification (Phoenix.)
Live Art By: Brez, Dumperfoo, Tha Nox (Tohono O'odham)
LIVE PAINTING AND DEMOS
TRADITIONAL O'ODHAM SONGS AND DANCE
B-Boy Showcase (info soon to come)
Skate Expo + Live Art 10am-5pm
Live Show Begins At 6pm, $5 DONATION OR $3 W/food donations [prefered:rice, beans, flour, water, gatorade]
If you like to donate, help with food, table, media or help in general, contact us.
This year will be the 16th Annual O'odham Unity Run. The run will be March 14-20th, 2010
Brief History of Unity Run:
The Akimel O'odham, Hia-Ced O'odham and the Tohono O'odham have long been known for their expertise in long distance running in the desert regions of what is now southwestern United States and Mexico. For over 150 years the O'odham Nations have dealt with separation by the U.S./Mexico Borders. We do not acknowledge this separation within our culture; we encourage our unity to continue.
The Unity Run was founded in 1995, by a small group of grassroots people from both sides of Mexico and the United States, consisting of Tohono O'odham and Akimel O'odham. The group's main goal is to bring awareness to the youth and adults the legacy that our ancestors gave to us centuries ago. The coordinators are actively working to perpetuate that which we inherited and for this to continue for the generations yet to come. Reinstating the tradition of running and the spirituality that comes with running is a challenge to help unite, preserve, heal and respect our history, language and culture. The Unity Run is highly recognized as a drug free, alcohol free and gang free cultural event.