Last Saturday, March 2, a group of 10 Fordham students participated in the Gaza 5K on the Global Day of Action for Palestine, organized by activist groups the People’s Forum and the Palestinian Youth Movement. New York City hosted both a 5K run and a march in support of Palestine. This day of action was to put as much pressure on people in power to call for a ceasefire before March 10, the start of Ramadan, a holy month in which Muslims fast, allowing for more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Students went to the race as part of a Residential Assistant (RA) program in Martyrs’ Court and in Campbell, Salice and Conley halls. Six RAs coordinated to get sufficient funding to cover the $40 tickets in order to get as many tickets as possible to fundraise as much money as possible.
Heba Elsetouhi, FCRH ’25, an RA in Martyrs’ Court, explained her motivation for coordinating the event.
“I went to the last one two years ago when I was a [first-year]. At the time, there wasn’t as much attention on Palestine, so it was very affirming as an activist seeing such a big community showing up for Palestine. I wanted to go again this year for that same community and made a Fordham team so other students can have that same experience and because it is important to me to get people within Fordham’s community involved, as I feel that is something that is lacking.”
The group left at around 8 a.m. to trek through the rain and cold to Prospect Park in Brooklyn. The race started at 10 a.m. Upon arriving, the crowd was filled with Palestinian flags, keffiyehs and a spirit of community. Breakfast was served, and morale was high. There were tables filled with bagels and refreshing juices. The air was filled with anticipative chatter — it didn’t matter if you were running, walking or cheering from the sidelines.
There was a diverse amount of people, from babies in strollers to people in their 80s. There were Palestinian people and Jewish people, all unified in support of freeing Palestine. The race started off strong. It was a very unique 5K in the sense that there were chants of “free Palestine,” “ceasefire now” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” as the participants ran.
Bella Sabino, GSB ’24, stated about the event, “I have never felt such a sense of community before. From the moment I stepped foot onto Prospect Park to the moment I left, it felt like visiting family. The enthusiasm was through the roof, and the love that everyone had in their hearts was so strong.”
By race day, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) had reached their goal of raising $2 million for mental care accessibility for all Palestine refugee children in the Gaza Strip. As stated by the UNRWA, “The trauma of the conflict and the stress of living under blockade, unable to leave the Gaza Strip, has left thousands of refugees, particularly children, in need of psycho-social support.” With the funding they have accumulated, they hope to improve the quality of life during this horrific situation for the civilians and, more specifically, the children in Gaza. The Fordham Palestine Solidarity Network was able to raise $792.
After the race was over, they announced the awards and then blasted Mohammed Assaf’s “Dammi Falastini,” which translates to “My Blood is Palestinian.” Those who wanted to dance gathered in the middle in a circle and held hands going to the strong beat of the music.
Elsetouhi noted that one of her favorite parts was “when we danced Dabke (a communal traditional Palestine dance)… It was such a beautiful expression of Palestinian culture and solidarity.” It’s heartwarming to see something uplifting throughout the unbelievable atrocities of more than 30,000 Palestinians being killed, 70% being women and children. The day was not over yet. Tons of people migrated from Prospect Park up to Washington Square Park in Manhattan and those who did show up to the 5K had the chance to go join the march at 1 p.m. Despite the rain, there were thousands of people who showed up with their umbrellas and with their voices. Elsetouhi stated how she felt after leaving the event: “[I] felt very uplifted. Activism can be so discouraging, especially when our own politicians consistently ignore us, but seeing hundreds of people come together for Palestine to raise $2 million, along with so many Fordham students attending, gave me hope and reminded me that the culture surrounding Palestine in the U.S. is changing for the better.”
