Breaking Fronteras Undocu5K draws hundreds
Whether they walked, ran or pushed a stroller, the roughly 300 participants in the Breaking Fronteras Undocu5K run came together Saturday in one unifying effort – to raise scholarship money for undocumented Cal State Long Beach students.
The Undocu5K was the brainchild of Chicano and Latino Studies major Carlos Guijarro, who was looking for a way to inform the community about what undocumented immigrants face, raise awareness and money for scholarships and promote a healthy lifestyle.
“My purpose is to let it be known that it’s not just a Latino issue,” Guijarro said. He added that the event came off better than “I could have imagined” and hopes other CSU campuses will hold such events.
The 5K race raised $11,000 through registration fees and donations, it was announced at the race.
“I want people to know that these are peoples’ lives and not to recognize that would speak to a lack of awareness,” he said.
Alexia Sillas, a freshman sociology major, said she has family members and friends who are undocumented so “it feels good to be running for them. I’m Latina and I want do that for them.”
Anna Sosa, who graduated from CSULB two years ago, dug out her running shoes and joined the cause that she hopes will enable undocumented students to get an education. Without legal status, students cannot get financial aid because they don’t have a social security number.
“My dad worked in the fields, so I understand the struggle,” Sosa said.
President Jane Conoley didn’t run, but she encouraged others to “be relentless. Stick together.”
