The Stride for Pride run was held Friday in West Circle. Students were asked to dress in however much clothing they felt comfortable, and outfits ranged from only underwear to a cape.

Participants were welcome to donate money to support The Body Positive, a foundation promoting positive body images for women, English senior Brittany Holewinski said.

Holewinski is a resident assistant in West Circle and she helped organize the event and led the run.
“It’s about (how) everybody has the perfect body, no matter what shape or size you are,” Holewinski said. “We’re trying to erase the social stigma of having the ‘idealized’ magazine bodies that aren’t even real.”

The runners passed out slips of paper during the event with hand written positive messages, such as, “You are beautiful.”

Muir said this year the event was different from years past because it expanded to West Circle.
The students made sure to run along Grand River Avenue because the honking of passing cars encouraged the runners. The jog was short, but the group remained playful during its time outside by throwing snowballs, with one student diving into a pile of snow.

Studio art senior Jill Hakala said the honking cars and energy of the group made the event exciting.
“It was refreshing, (and a) nice break to run around (almost) naked the week before midterms,” Hakala said.

Alumna Megan Hakala came to the event with her sister, and said she heard about other cold events, such as the Polar Bear Plunge, which helps fund the Special Olympics, so she thought the Stride for Pride would be fun. Megan Hakala wore shorts and a sports bra during the event.

“I like the message this walk is promoting and the group is promoting,” Megan Hakala said. “I was nervous about running, but I loved it.”