Second Annual · Stomp the Violence

Run 4 Peace:
Walk 4 Hope

5K Run & One-Mile Walk

Saturday, May 15, 2027
8:00 a.m.

John Hunt Park
Huntsville, Alabama

Registration coming soon

Multicultural athletes wearing race bibs run with focused expressions and visible exertion through a park, alongside Run for peace and Walk for hope signs.

Our Why

Why Huntsville Needs Run4PeaceWalk4Hope

As Huntsville grows, families and young people need positive opportunities to connect, move, learn, and build a future rooted in peace. Rising South Literacy School, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to literacy advancement, youth development, and violence prevention, brings people together through innovative programming and community partnerships.

These numbers represent families, young people, and neighborhoods. Our response is to create positive alternatives, uplift families, and promote safer, stronger communities.

This 5K Run and One-Mile Walk brings citizens together, promotes healthy lifestyles, and raises awareness about violence prevention. Employees, families, youth, educators, civic leaders, and local organizations will stand together for safety, hope, and opportunity.

Schools · Teachers · Students

Peace supports learning and stronger futures

Stress, trauma, and instability outside school can affect students’ learning, behavior, and emotional well-being. Schools can be places of support, encouragement, and hope. Literacy, healthy relationships, conflict resolution, peaceful communication, and emotional intelligence all have a place in our work for safer futures.

Why events like Run4PeaceWalk4Hope matter for schools

  • Students: a positive outlet for leadership and service.
  • Teachers: an opportunity to promote wellness and community involvement.
  • Schools: a chance to stand together for peace and hope.
  • Communities: a platform to support literacy and violence prevention.
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Workplace wellness

Bring your team. Make a difference.

We invite local businesses to make this event an employee health-and-wellness initiative. Physical activity, team participation, and community engagement can strengthen morale and create a positive organizational culture.

Organizations that sponsor registration for ten (10) or more employees will receive a discounted group rate. Contact Rising South for group-rate details as registration approaches.

Give what you can · Make a difference

No donation is too small

We welcome support from individuals, families, businesses, and organizations. Every donation helps us bring people together for literacy, youth development, healthy lifestyles, and violence prevention.

Help fund the entire event · $5,000

If you would like to support the entire event, you can make a gift of $5,000. We are grateful for every contribution, large or small.

Visit Run for Peace: Walk for Hope on RunSignup ↗

2027 registration is coming soon. Watch for updated registration and donation details.

blackallianceofthesouth@gmail.com

Read our 2027 Partnership Invitation

Dear Community Partner,

On behalf of Rising South Literacy School, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to literacy advancement, youth development, and violence prevention, I invite your organization to partner with us for the second annual “Run 4 Peace: Walk 4 Hope – Stomp the Violence” 5K Run and One-Mile Walk, taking place on Saturday, May 15, 2027, at 8:00 a.m. at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama.

We encourage local businesses to view this event as an employee health-and-wellness initiative. Physical activity, team participation, and community engagement can strengthen morale, support workplace wellness, and build a positive organizational culture. Organizations sponsoring registration for ten (10) or more employees will receive a discounted group rate.

Why Huntsville Needs Run4PeaceWalk4Hope

While Huntsville continues to grow, violence and domestic instability remain concerns for families and youth. Huntsville reported an 18% decrease in violent crime from 2024 to 2025. Continuing that progress requires sustained community involvement. The Johns Hopkins Alabama brief reports that 161 Alabama women were killed by intimate partners between 2019 and 2023. These numbers represent families and young people who deserve safety, support, and positive alternatives.

Through innovative programming and community partnerships, we strive to empower young people, uplift families, and promote safer, stronger neighborhoods.

We welcome donations from individuals, families, businesses, and organizations who share our commitment to a healthier, safer Huntsville. No donation is too small—every contribution helps bring this community event to life. If you would like to fund the entire event, a gift of $5,000 will support that effort. We would be grateful for your generosity at any level.

The purpose of this community 5K is to bring citizens together, promote healthy lifestyles, and raise awareness about violence prevention. Employees, families, youth, educators, civic leaders, and local organizations will unite in a visible demonstration that our schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces deserve safety, hope, and opportunity.

We would be honored to have your support. Please contact us at blackallianceofthesouth@gmail.com or 256-542-1764. Visit Run for Peace: Walk for Hope for event information. Registration for the 2027 event is coming soon.

Ways to Make a Donation

  • Cash App: $RisingSouth
  • PayPal: admin@risingsouthliteracyschool.org
  • Check: Make checks payable to Rising South Literacy School.

Thank you for your consideration and commitment to building a healthier and safer Huntsville community.

Sincerely,
Canesha X. Gibbs
Secretary of Rising South
Rising South Literacy School