A few hundred East Valley residents, dressed in a shifting pattern of colors, came out Saturday morning for Tempe's fifth Annual Regional Unity Walk.
The walk — which celebrates nearby cities' residents coming together — originated in Tempe but, for the past few years, hosting privileges have rotated between cities.
Mayor Hugh Hallman said bringing the walk back to Tempe was a big success.
"This demonstrates our commitment to unity and to a diverse community," Hallman said.
Participants from Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa and Scottsdale gathered at parks around Tempe, put on shirts representing their respective cities and walked between 1 and 1.75 miles to end at the Tempe library.
Tempe residents met at Daley Park near College Avenue and Encanto Drive.
The crowd of about 100 wore red and held signs proclaiming, "Together we are better."
Valerie Patriquin, director of the Tempe Gay Straight Alliance, said Tempe is a "progressive city" and the only one in the state with a gay-straight alliance.
"The city of Tempe is all about diversity," Patriquin said. "And the bringing together of people is an enormous thing."
The march ended at the Tempe Library Complex, where the Tempe Empty Bowls organization waited with hundreds of handcrafted bowls made by local high school students and artists, serving as a symbol of the hunger plaguing the state and the country.
The bowls sold for $10, and the proceeds went to the United Food Bank and the Tempe Community Action Agency.
Empty Bowls volunteer Diane Hillyard said this is the seventh year the organization has paired up with the walk.
"The hunger program and the unity walk is a nice combination of humanitarian [events]," she said.
Those who bought a bowl received a ticket for soup and bread provided by Whole Foods.
Mark Richwine did the walk with his wife and his 16-year-old daughter, Megan.
"We need to celebrate the differences that exist between us," the Tempe man said.
Tempe resident Charlie Glasel said the event was a way for him to get out and meet people.
"There are a lot of walls between houses and a lot of closed garage doors, and this is a way to get out and get to know the community," he said.
Glasel's stepdaughter, Kristian Kangas, 15, agreed.
"It's good exercise and a good way to get to know your neighbors," she said.
Rep. Ed Ableser of Tempe, an ASU public administration and justice studies doctoral student, walked Saturday for the fifth time.
"Keeping [the walk] in Tempe is so much more effective," he said.
Ableser said Tempe is one of the most diverse cities in Arizona, adding that more than 80 languages are spoken here.
"Where better to have a walk [focused on] diversity and acceptance and multiculturalism?" he said.
Reach the reporter at: allison.denny@asu.edu.
