2023 Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate

Sunday June 18, 2023

10K RUN | 5K RUN/WALK | YOUTH MILE

7:30am start | Long Field, Evanston, IL

YWCA Evanston/North Shore is proud to present the 23rd Annual Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate. Each year, Race Against Hate, one of the largest events of its kind in the nation, brings together thousands of people every year from all over Chicagoland to run and walk in unity against racial hatred and violence.

The Evanston Running Club offers a 0-5K training program starting in March. Train with other new runners with the help and guidance of ERC coaches and experienced runners. Training runs happen every Sunday at 7AM at Dawes Park on the Evanston Lakefront. Register here.

We love our sponsors! Click here to view our sponsor packet. If your company is interested in becoming a Race sponsor, email Trimmy Stamell at tstamell@ywca-ens.org for more information.

The Race Supports Our Mission

Proceeds from Race Against Hate are used to further the mission of YWCA Evanston/North Shore, in particular our efforts in the areas of racial justice and violence prevention. With this funding, YWCA assists children in our schools and local youth organizations to challenge their own prejudices and foster healthy, violence-free relationships among their peers; supports teenagers in examining their own relationships and practicing constructive ways to handle conflict and differences; and encourages adults to engage in constructive dialogue, interactive activities and meaningful action as related to racial justice.

History of the Race

The Race Against Hate honors the legacy of Ricky Byrdsong, former Northwestern University Basketball Coach, Vice President of Affairs at Aon Corporation, and Skokie resident who was murdered by a white supremacist in 1999 while walking in his neighborhood with two of his young children. On the same day, the shooter wounded six Orthodox Jews in Rogers Park. Over the subsequent weekend, he killed a Korean American graduate student in Indiana and wounded an African American minister in Decatur before taking his own life.

Because of Ricky’s lifelong love of sports and his compelling work with young people in the community, the Race Against Hate was launched by his family and friends in 2000 (and entrusted to YWCA Evanston/North Shore in 2007) to honor Ricky’s legacy and bring attention to the need to combat hatred in all its forms. (Read Sherialyn Byrdsong’s story of the founding of the Race Against Hate.)

View Sherialyn Byrdsong’s message below to the community on the 20th anniversary of the Race Against Hate, and the Walk Against Hate she inspired in her hometown of Atlanta:

Sherialyn Byrdsong on the 2020 Race Against Hate

2020 Walk Against Hate in Atlanta

Panel discussion with Sherialyn Byrdsong

SUPPORT OUR RACIAL EQUITY WORK

Why race?

Race Against Hate, 23 years running

Race Against Hate Press Coverage

Thanks for racing with us!

One of Ricky’s favorite quotes, that he patterned his life after, and tried to instill in his family, friends and players was, “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. We have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it." This Race Against Hate is our 90%. We have responded to Ricky’s death in a way that would make him proud.