RUN FOR HAITI: United Diaspora Athletes

United Diaspora Athletes (UDA) is excited to announce the launch of our unique program, The Patrick Burnett Diaspora Runversity. This exchange program aims to provide elite athletes the opportunity to train in the US, as well as send American athletes to Kenya for training. The first set of athletes will embark on their journey to Kenya on February 5th, 2024, in preparation for the Tokyo and Boston Marathons. Our mission goes beyond training. We intend to use our platform to shine a light on the serious issues plaguing countries like Haiti, as emphasized by our founder, Juny E. François. A former track star and seasoned marathoner, Juny has 23 marathons to her credit. She completed her first four world majors marathon before the Six Star Abbott World Major Marathons program was even introduced. Upon completing the 2024 Tokyo Marathon, she will be the first Haitian woman to achieve all six Abbott World Major Marathons, earning her the Six Stars Medal. Another notable athlete in our program is Valentin Emmanuel, a distinguished runner and former middle-distance collegiate athlete. After securing a top 10 position in the Miami Half Marathon, he is now preparing for the Boston Marathon in April. His aspiration is to represent Haiti in the 2028 Olympics. Juma Trafford, a Kenyan marathoner, ascended Mount Kilimanjaro Marathon in record timing of 2:29. He aims to be in the top 10 this year. Juma is scheduled to train in Miami and Utah this summer, and compete in Fall US marathons. To compete at these high levels, we require adequate resources for training. Unfortunately, developing nations often face underrepresentation in global sports due to insufficient resources. We believe this can change with your help. We implore you to support our journey to Kenya and efforts to bring Kenyan runners to America. Any contribution you make will be invaluable and deeply appreciated.