Race Amity Day, a nonreligious holiday established in the 1950s by the Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly, was created during the civil rights movement to challenge intolerance and promote unity among all people. As the movement started making significant strides, the Baha’is changed the name to Race Unity Day. For the Bahá'ís of Cape Coral, it’s not just an annual event, it’s part of an ongoing commitment to change.
“Racism in America specifically is in our writings as America's most challenging issue,” said Layli Walker, a member of the Cape Coral Bahá'í community. “We have that as something that we will bring up in multiple spaces, not just once a year for Race Unity Day. We're having conversations about what practical steps can we take to work on this challenge that is affecting each one of us all the time.”
Walker said the Cape Coral group has been observing Race Unity Day for well over a decade. One of her favorite memories is from a celebration nearly eight years ago.
“Just seeing children of different backgrounds running around, it's so refreshing that they're just enjoying the moment. They're enjoying each other's company. There were Latino children, there were African American children, there were Caucasian children, and they were having a good time.”
Walker reflects on her own experience growing up biracial. With a white father and African American mother, she recalls facing painful moments of discrimination.
“I have witnessed and been told things that were just, you know, you're not that important, or you're not ever going to be anything. And you know you're part of an inferior race.”
Despite that, she continues to focus on hope and progress. This year, Race Unity Day will be observed on Sunday, June 8. The Cape Coral Bahá'ís will host a community picnic at Lakes Park in Fort Myers from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Shelter 4A. The event is free and open to the public, and will feature a potluck lunch, music, games, dancing and more. Walker describes the path to racial unity as something that is not a quick fix, but well worth the effort.
“There's crisis and victory along the way. We're not going to let whatever is happening take that essence away from our community-building goals. Might be a little bit harder, might take a little bit longer, but we're going to keep going. There's a quote that says, 'racism is poisonous because it cripples its victims, corrupts its perpetrators, and blights human progress.' So, we want to work on that, getting rid of that poison and everything that it implies, which is a deep conversation and a set of things that is not a magic wand by any means.”
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