WHO WE ARE.
Mission 1 race is a nonprofit organization with the mission to build a worldwide community by connecting individuals to foster eclectic oneness through educational curriculum and content and collaborative exposures and experiences.
OUR BEGINNINGS.
Mission1Race is a passionate movement of love, mission, and oneness. We were founded in 2010 By Richard "RichRel" Reliford. After running a life-changing 250-miles over six days, he felt called to start Mission1Race to share the message of diversity, inclusion, and Oneness through running and faith.
We gained 501c3 status in 2020 after running a successful Journey 2019 and funneling our momentum into a larger movement. In 2020, we hosted: the Pentecostal Race, the Pilgrimage Journey, and the Journey 2020 with over 180 participants running for over 500 miles. We also opened our 1Community Groups and released our "Mission1Purpose" & "We Are Uniquely The Same." podcast.
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After ten years, Mission1Race has become a global community with over 5,000 members online and over 1,000 attending our events all around Southern California. We keep growing and expanding to spread our message of love, mission, and Oneness, and we could not do it without you!
OUR VISION AND PURPOSE.
​Mission1Race's purpose is to change one heart, one mind, and one soul at a time by developing and cultivating communities, sharing inspired oneness curriculum, and catalyzing experiences.
We encourage conversations that afford educational engagement. We provide services and resources to reach those negatively affected by inequality and injustice, arm those seeking knowledge, and enlighten those in the dark. Our movement is founded on the truth that we are all uniquely the same, and we understand that all are equal and a part of one human race. We envision a world where we abolish inequality and celebrate individuality.
OUR PRINCIPLES:
Understand - Forgive - Connect - Reconcile - Relate - Heal - Love - Act
MEET THE TEAM.
Meet our founder and group of volunteers who make our work a reality.
If you would like to volunteer with us send us an email at: uniquelythesame@mission1race.org
Richard John Reliford, aka “RichRel”
Founder and Executive Director
Richard currently serves as Senior Partnerships Manager at World Vision on the Church and Ministry Partnerships team. Born in Chicago, IL and raised in the southwestern suburb of Bolingbrook, IL, he received a football scholarship to the University of Akron where he earned a Mechanical Polymer Engineering degree. Richard has a professional background in sales, marketing, education, and most recently was the Los Angeles Director for Team World Vision. Richard is also the founder of Mission1Race, where in April of 2019 he set out to run 250 miles over 6 days up the California coast to bring awareness to the need for radical forgiveness & oneness. God willing, Richard plans to continue to serve with World Vision while growing and mobilizing his most recent calling to launch a movement, event and organization called Mission1Race. With a heart for youth, our hurting world and the church, he continues to seek our Heavenly father to use his life for even greater impact, influence and service in the name of God’s love and compassion
Deidre Walker
Vice President of Operations
Deidre Walker has served in many roles in her life: a wife, a mother, a daughter, an author, a speaker, and a servant of God. Deidre graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology. She took a short break but returned to school to graduate from Trinity International University with a Master of Arts degree in Christian Thought in 2003. She wrote her thesis on “Commodifying adoption: for-profit or not-for-profit adoptions?” Deidre returned to school again in 2019, where she earned a Master’s in Business Administration from Capella University. Deidre published her first book A Servant’s Heart in 2019. Deidre Walker has worked as a Customer Service Representative, Cashier, Education and Events Manager, Teacher, Academic Advisor, and Prior Learning Assessment Quality Assurance Manager. Currently, Deidre Walker is an Associate Dean and Adjunct Instructor.
Eunjin Suh
Mission Action Volunteer (MAV)
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Becky Miller
Member Advisory Council Members (MAC)
Educated and trained in Biblical and business studies, most of Becky’s experience has been in the nonprofit and the small church setting, in support of efficient operations of various ministries and programs. She led a local mom’s group, co-leads a running/fundraising team, participated in advocacy within the Dependency System, coordinated client intake, and currently coordinates the educational stay of foreign exchange students. Becky is moving into the Counselling Psychology field and has a passion to use this understanding to further inter-cultural understanding and reconciliation.
Becky is a mother of multiple amazing children. She runs for fun, and lives to make nutritious food taste great… that is, when she finds the time in between studies, work, and volunteering! Mostly she just lives one day at a time, praying it’s honoring to Jesus, and definitely putting priority on a board or card game with the kids. She can just as often be found spending time with friends, or helping someone.
MEET THE BOARD.
Meet our board.
If you would like to volunteer with us send us an email at: uniquelythesame@mission1race.org
Pastor Danilo Archbold
Board Member
New York, NY
Michael Dimascolo
Board Member
Providence, RI
Dr. Shawn Moore
Board Member
Minneapolis, MN
Pastor Josh Santin
Board Member
Castaic, CA
Jessica Lim
Board Member
Boston, MA
TK Trinidad
Board Member
Los Angeles, CA
Josh Morrison
Board Member
Chicago, IL
Michelle Law
Board Member
Bakersfield, CA
