December, 2018– On Saturday, December 15th, Gospel Run leaders from across the Chicago region gathered together to share holiday cheer, celebrate the Gospel Run health movement, and prepare to lead the way for 2019 Gospel Run programming.
Returning Gospel Run leaders shared their wisdom and testimonies about the health impact they are achieving within their teams, congregations, and communities. New Gospel Run leaders were welcomed into the family and shared their hopes for what’s possible in 2019.
The event was held at Norman’s Bistro in the historic Bronzeville community. For information about how to become a Gospel Run Team Leader in your community, contact us at teams@gospelrun.com with your name, your organization, and a little bit about you!
September, 2018 – The Gospel Run family is thrilled to be nominated for a 2018 Chicago Innovation Award in recognition of its work to improve health outcomes in Chicago.
On September 5th, the entire Gospel Run team joined hundreds of other Chicago-based innovators to celebrate at the Nominee Reception. The reception, held at the Park West, also included a host of Chicago regional investors, corporate innovators, entrepreneurs and others who are driving Chicago’s innovation ecosystem forward.
July, 2018– This Fall, over 12,000 walkers will gather on the National Mall for the Washington DC American Heart Association’s annual Heart Walk. The American Heart Association and Gospel Run are partnering to engage clergy and congregations throughout the Washington DC area to create a regional Gospel Heart Walk team, encouraging church and community members to walk together for better heart health.
“Our longstanding partnership with the American Heart Association around our signature Gospel Run 5K race has helped us inspire thousands of sedentary families to healthier lives, says Nyasha Nyamapfene, Gospel Run Founder. “We’re delighted to now partner with AHA around its premier signature event, the Heart Walk, and engage the DC metro faith community in the fight against heart disease and stroke.”
The Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s premier event for raising funds to save lives from this country’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers – heart disease and stroke. Gospel Run is a 501c3 public health organization that partners with clergy and congregations to close the health gap and change the narrative around the health of black and brown communities. This year’s Washington DC Heart Walk will take place on Saturday, November 3rd on the National Mall. Check-in begins at 8:30, and the Walk kicks off at 10.
May, 2018 – Gospel Run is proudly stepping into the 6th year of its annual flagship event – the Gospel Run 5K/10K and Gospel Kids Run – the first and largest event of its kind in the United States. Thousands from across the Chicago region and beyond will run and walk along Chicago’s lakefront in support of one another to promote healthy lifestyles and regular exercise.
The event was launched with a 2013 pilot and has grown nearly tenfold during its short history – embraced by churches across the region as a vehicle to promote congregational health. “The US is a global leader in health disparities, and we have a health epidemic in black and brown communities,” says Nyasha Nyamapfene, Gospel Run Founder. “So many of the chronic diseases claiming the lives of our loved ones are preventable. Our platform inspires the faith community to spread a message that change is possible; we can disrupt the cycle.“
Gospel Run teams range in size from 5 to over 300 and represent some of Chicago’s largest churches. The event attracts a number of first-time participants that have never participated in a fitness event or race. On-site health offerings will includefree diabetes testing, HIV screening, CPR training, and an Ask-A-Physician tent intended to encourage access to quality care.
Gospel Run partners in health include the Chicago Department of Public Health, University of Illinois Cancer Center, the American Heart Association, Howard Brown Health, Northwestern Memorial, Rush University Medical Center, and Presence Health. The race takes place in the Bronzeville community of Chicago, credited as the birthplace of gospel music.
NBC 5 Chicago will broadcast live from the event on race day, and NBC personality Jorge DeSantiago will serve as race-day emcee.
Gospel Run is a Chicago-based 501c3 public health organization that partners with the faith community to inspire health, transformation, and expanded possibility in communities that face the most challenging health outcomes.
March, 2018 – On March 2nd, Gospel Run hosted over 60 Pastors, scholars, and racial healing practitioners at the University of Chicago to discuss how clergy can use their congregations as a platform to address racial trauma and divisions. This year’s convening was held at the University of Chicago in Hyde Park.
Attendees discussed the historical role between race & religion, built relationships with like-minded clergy, and came away with tools & best practices to address racial reconciliation through preaching, teaching, counseling, outreach, and governance.
Convening Speakers included Dr. Otis Moss III – Trinity United Church of Christ; Dr. Reggie Williams – McCormick Theological Seminary; Dr. Soong-Chan Rah – North Park University; Joy Bailey – Crossroads Anti-Racism Organizing & Training – Chicago.
“Racial wounds run deep in the US, and no one living in America is immune to its effects on mental and emotional wellbeing,” says Nyasha Nyamapfene, Gospel Run Founder. “As a public health organization, this year’s Clergy Convening takes on racial healing as an urgent health issue. Right now – more than ever – it is important for the US and the world to see an inspiring model of leadership and love. Who better to show that model, than the faith community?”
NBC 5 Chicago and Moody Radio were media partners for the event.
Event Sponsors included the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and the Chicago Urban League.
February 2018 – Gospel Run and the Interfaith Coalition Against Racism have formed a partnership to address issues of race and racism in the faith community.
The Interfaith Coalition Against Racism (ICAR) is an organization of faith-based member institutions formed to mobilize clergy after the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson. Its goal is to unite faith leaders to help dismantle racism.
Gospel Run and ICAR will collaborate as design partners for the 2018 Gospel Run Clergy Convening, which will focus on how Pastors can use their congregations as platforms to help facilitate healing across racial lines, particularly during this racial moment in the United States.
ICAR will also become an Official Charity partner of the 2018 Gospel Run 5K/10K, forming an interfaith run/walk team that will include Christian, Muslim, and Jewish organizations and span all races. ICAR will raise funds through the Gospel Run platform with the goal of funding 200 of its congregants to participate in anti-racism training through Chicago Regional Organizing Against Racism (C-ROAR).
ICAR members include Fourth Presbyterian Church, the Downtown Islamic Center, Congregation Sinai, LaSalle Street Church, Trinity United Church of Christ, and Episcopal Diocese of Chicago.
October 2017– Out of over 125 applicants from across the United States, Gospel Run won first place in the American Heart Association’s national competition for innovative urban health solutions. The competition was held on October 17th at the inaugural EmPOWERED To Serve (ETS) Summit in Washington DC.
EmPOWERED To Serve (ETS) is a national initiative of the American Heart Association created to advance health justice in urban and minority communities. ETS focuses on fostering health equity through advocacy, policy, education and social change.
“This is a full circle moment for us,” says Gospel Run Founder, Nyasha Nyamapfene. “AHA was actually our first local health partner when we launched in Chicago, and now they are our first national partner. The monetary award is incredibly appreciated, and extending our strategic partnership with AHA nationally will also help to extend our reach and our impact. Winning first place nationally is a great validation of our work from one of our most valued partners.”
As first place winner, Gospel Run will partner with the American Heart Association to expand the Gospel Run model to additional US geographies and receive $30,000 to support its scaling.
Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association (AHA) is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease. The Dallas-based organization has over 33 million volunteers and supporters and over 3,400 employees.
April 2017– Nonprofit public health organization, Gospel Run, has announced that it has established a media partnership with Moody Radio.
Moody Radio is one of the largest Christian radio networks in the United States. Its parent organization is the Moody Bible Institute. Headquartered in downtown Chicago, Moody Radio owns and/or operates 37 stations and hundreds of affiliates and outlets that carry all or part of its programming.
Moody Radio broadcasts 24 hours a day, and its stations include WMBI – 90.1 FM in Chicago. Moody has three online channels – Praise and Worship Channel, Majesty Channel, and Urban Praise (Winner of the 2015 Stellar Award for Internet Radio Stations).
March, 2017 -Gospel Run has recently announced its newest Partner-In-Health – Grammy and Oscar award-winning Che “Rhymefest” Smith.
Rhymefest is best known as an award-winning hip-hop artist, having written the hit songs, Jesus Walks with Kanye West and Glory (from the film, Selma) for John Legend and Common. His own health, however, has become one of his most important projects, since he discovered he has diabetes after an alarming health episode.
Gospel Run is partnering with Rhymefest and NBC 5 Chicago to raise awareness about diabetes and men’s health among African Americans, open a dialogue, and inspire men to embrace healthier behaviors.
Black Americans face more than a 70% greater risk of getting diabetes than white Americans. For Hispanics, their risk is more than 65% greater.
Rhymefest reports that the risks and reality of his disease hit home when Malik Taylor, the hip hop artist known as Phife Dawg from Tribe Called Quest, died at the age of 45 after a prolonged battle with diabetes.
“I put off getting a check-up, and almost went into a diabetic coma, because I didn’t know I had the disease,” says Rhymefest. “I now have to actively manage my diabetes with self-care. That includes working out, jogging, keeping my metabolism going, and nutrition… so that the foods I eat don’t kill me.”
Rhymefest will participate in the fifth annual Gospel Run 5K run/walk on Saturday, June 2nd and share his story with thousands in attendance. He will also take the stage during the post-race concert, performing a special remix of his song Jesus Walks.
Gospel Run and Rhymefest are launching the “Jesus Walks Youth Remix Challenge,” a contest that invites Chicago youth to write an original verse to the song Jesus Walks. The winning youth will perform their lyrics on stage with Rhymefest and his band on race day.
The Chicago Gospel Run 5K is a multi-generational event that draws individuals and families from throughout the Chicago region, with participants ranging from age 3 through 85+. Gospel Run, in partnership with Howard Brown Health, will offer free diabetes screenings at the race.
February, 2017 – Gospel Run has launched its first Pastors’ Health Challenge, designed to inspire and support increased physical activity among Senior Pastors. The initiative was announced in partnership with NBC at the 2017 Gospel Run Clergy Convening, and 20 Pastors signed onto the Challenge on site.
“Gospel Run is committed to fostering healthy congregations and communities, and healthy Pastors are an essential part of that,” says Nyasha Nyamapfene, Gospel Run Founder. “The Challenge provides an opportunity for Pastors to lead by example, inspire their membership, and take steps toward their own health journey.”
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the leading causes of chronic and fatal diseases worldwide. Increasing physical activity can be a strong catalyst for reducing health disparities in Chicago. Gospel Run is a nonprofit public health organization that serves as a connector of the faith community and partners with clergy and congregations to close the health gap.
