SU, National Grid present seventh annual Duck Race to End Racism June 6 at Inner Harbor

SU, National Grid present seventh annual Duck Race to End Racism June 6 at Inner HarborMay 29, 2009SU News ServicesSUnews@syr.edu

Community-Wide Dialogue to End Racism (CWD), a program of InterFaith Works, will host the seventh annual Duck Race to End Racism, on Saturday, June 6, from noon-4 p.m. at the Syracuse Inner Harbor. Syracuse University and National Grid are presenting sponsors of this year’s fowl spectacle to raise funds for, and awareness of, CWD, which has engaged thousands of people in frank, productive conversations about race and ethnicity.

The Duck Race, geared toward families and community members of all ages, is free and open to the public, providing a festive atmosphere featuring entertainers, food vendors, cooperative games and face painting, and booths from dozens of nonprofit organizations.Among the day’s highlights will be a race during which thousands of rubber ducks float down Onondaga Creek. Community members are invited to support CWD by sponsoring ducks in this race for a $5, tax-deductible donation, earning a chance to win prizes. Duck sponsorships may be purchased on the day of the event, at InterFaith Works, or through any of the nonprofit sponsors listed on the race website (http://www.interfaithworkscny.org/duckrace/eventInfo/buyADuck.php). University community members may sponsor a duck by contacting Marissa Willingham in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, (315) 443-9676.

The Duck Race features three different “heats”:

• The Power Paddler Race features full-sized ducks decorated by local companies, with prizes awarded in categories including best dressed, most finely crafted, best representing the company’s mission and best representing the theme of ending racism.

• The second race features full-size ducks from third-grade classrooms around the city and county, decorated by the children and their teachers to represent their ethnicities, school spirit or creativity.

• The final race is made up of multi-colored plastic rubber ducks. Ten winners will get prizes-among them a shopping spree; a night on the town gift basket; a family fun pack with tickets to local attractions; and a bed-and-breakfast package.

CWD is the longest-running dialogue program on ending racism in the United States. Using the study circle, it builds relationships and creates a forum for action among people who may not otherwise have the opportunity to meet, work and learn from one another, forging racial and ethnic healing that leads to community action and understanding. InterFaith Works (formerly known as The InterReligious Council of Central New York) was founded in 1976 to bring together the wonderfully diverse array of faith traditions in the Central New York community, with the belief that engagement among these different faith groups would lead to understanding, friendships and a collaborative strength to address community issues. More information about InterFaith Works is available at http://www.interfaithworkscny.org/.

SU offers many intergroup dialogue opportunities to students, faculty and staff, including the Office of Residence Life- and Office of Multicultural Affairs-sponsored Conversations About Race and Ethnicity Dialogues in residence halls; courses in dialogue; train-the-trainer programs; participation in the national Multi-University Project on Intergroup Dialogue; and staff dialogue circles provided by the Office of Human Resources. For more information, visit http://intergroupdialogue.syr.edu.

Full details on this year’s Duck Race can be found at http://www.interfaithworkscny.org/duckrace/.