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Hundreds gather for UNIty Walk in Cedar Falls

unipanthers.com

CEDAR FALLS – Led by UNI student-athletes, hundreds gathered outside of the McLeod Center and marched across Hudson Road to the Campanile in the center of campus in a UNIty walk, Friday morning, October 9, 2020.

The group included student-athletes from all UNI teams, coaches, athletics, along with campus staff, faculty and community members. The message was clear the University of Northern Iowa is united as one voice against racial injustice.

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“I have been a part of some special moments as part of UNI Athletics,” Director of Athletics David Harris told the crowd. “But I have never been more proud to be a Panther than today.”

The student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) and the Minority Student-Athlete Leadership Team (MSALT) initiated and planned the event with the assistance of the athletic department.

“When we talked about putting this together, we wanted to make sure this was student-athlete led,” men’s basketball sophomore and SAAC Rep Noah Carter said. “I thought we did a great job. Everyone showed up and showed out. It shows what this university is capable of doing and what this community is capable of doing.”

The message was one of unity, but for black student-athletes, the feeling was also one of support. It went beyond the overarching messages and became much more personal.

“This walk shows that we are united in athletics and as a university as a whole,” senior track and field athlete TayShaun Cooper said. “This was great for the university, but for me personally, it showed me that I have help outside of athletics. There are a lot of people here that I can rely on and count on when I need them the most.”

Kam Finley, a Cedar Falls High graduate and a junior on the women’s basketball team, echoes Cooper’s sentiments.

“I can’t even describe how much this meant to me,” women’s basketball player Kam Finley said. “This was early in the morning on a Friday, but so many people came out to support minorities. This isn’t a huge campus, and knowing that so many people from athletics, coaches and staff coming out to support us means a lot. We are not just families as our individual teams, but we are a family as a whole in the entire athletic program. I can’t that for granted, and I am always going to cherish that part of my years being here.”

The walk was a continuation of efforts by UNI Athletics to be a leader in diversity and inclusion but the first that was initiated by the student-athletes.

“When you look at what we want to do as an athletics department, it is preparing young men and women to go out be good citizens and make our communities better,” Harris said. “It isn’t just about playing sport. It is about how playing sport will help you have a better life once you leave the university. This morning is an indication that we as an athletics department and a university are doing something right. Our student-athletes are able to look outside of themselves and understand that they have a role, a platform and a responsibility to do things to make life better for those that don’t have the same voice or opportunity.”

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