KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The celebration kicked off and music was in the air at the Phyllis Wheatley Center for the Race Against Racism event on Saturday.
For the 72-year-old great-grandmother Saundra Phillips, her race against injustice weighs heavy. She gave an example of when she was at the hospital.
"You go in and you're sick... you're hurting and they sit you in a corner and sit there for eight or nine hours, sometimes 13 to 14 hours," she said. "They assume that you're coming to give pain medicine."
The event was not just about race. For Sister Dollywood, it has been a lifelong course to get to where he is.
"The fact that I am gay and openly gay, people look at me differently," he said. "This race is showing there's a beautiful, diverse group of people here. There's a little bit of everybody and everybody here is equal today."
The YWCA Director of Communications said this is the first time after COVID that they are back in full force.
"[We're] ready to welcome the community for Diversity Day to celebrate inclusion," Ally Slavick said.
The celebration included entertainment, walking and running because this race was about love.
"I may not be able to race or [run or walk], but I'm here representing," Saundra Phillips said.
YWCA said its mission is to eliminate racism, promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Their goal is to amplify underrepresented voices.