Event Recap: Run for Refugees at the Denver Colfax Marathon/5k
ACC staff, supporters, and refugee community members at ACC’s Charity Partner tent before the 5K event on Saturday, May 18th.
For the first year ever, the African Community Center of Denver had the opportunity to be an official Charity Partner of the Denver Colfax Marathon!
Our “Run for Refugees” event was an incredible way to bring staff, volunteers, supporters, and refugee community members together in a meaningful way and show solidarity with refugees. Participating in the Charity Partners Program was also a great opportunity for ACC to spread awareness of what we do, who we serve, and how to support our mission.
We are pleased to announce that we had 75 runners who participated in the various races:
42 people ran the 5K
2 people ran the 10 Miler
10 people ran the Half Marathon
1 person ran the Marathon
And 4 Marathon Relay Teams!
We are also thrilled to have raised nearly $6,500 and are grateful to our participants for donating and fundraising, making this event even more impactful.
Interested in running for refugees with ACC next year? Keep an eye on our Run for Refugees event page for information about participating in the 2025 Denver Colfax Marathon/5k, taking place May 17-18, 2025.
Former Refugee from Sudan Sets Record in Men’s Half-Marathon
This year’s winner (and record-breaker!) of the half-marathon is Emad Bashir-Mohammad, a former refugee from Sudan who resettled to Colorado in 2014. Emad was an active participant and volunteer with ACC’s former Youth Program during his first few years in Denver, where he was involved in assisting with after-school programs, outdoor activities, and the children’s homework. Through this program, Emad found an instant community full of support and friendship, and was even introduced to his first job here in Denver through ACC staff! We’re thrilled to reconnect with Emad and celebrate his achievement.
Former refugee from Sudan, Emad Bashir-Mohammad, was the 2024 Half Marathon winner and record breaker!
Believe it or not, the 2024 Denver Colfax Half-Marathon was the first-ever road race Emad has participated in. When asked how it feels to set the new record and win the half-marathon, Emad stated, “It feels good to win - the hard work is paying off. For the past 6 months, I haven’t taken a day off - I’ve just been running, running, running! All the hard work is done behind the scenes. I told myself I have to show up and I was able to execute and perform well that day.”
Emad began his running career while getting his Bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education at Friends University in Kansas. He is currently working to get his MBA at the University of St. Mary’s while also heavily focusing on pursuing a career in running. His ultimate end goal is to run in the Olympics!
Emad’s success in this year’s Denver Colfax Half-Marathon is just the beginning. He firmly believes that with hard work, dedication, and big goals, anything is possible. His biggest motivator is his family - he is grateful for everything his parents have sacrificed to get him to the United States so that he could have the best education possible.
“I know a lot of people are rooting for me and I just want to keep getting better and better,” Emad explained.
Emad is an inspiration to all, and wants other refugees and immigrants to know that if he can do it, so can you! Coming to America brought so many opportunities to Emad and his family, and we’re eager to see all that he can accomplish with his running career in the coming years!
“Anything is achievable. We [refugees] can achieve anything!”
Written by Lila Swope, Development & Communications AmeriCorps VISTA