Taking A Stand Against Racism With A 1,300 Mile Cross-Country Walk
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) -He has made a career behind the microphone as a radio DJ, but for 28 days Dallas native, Reggie Dee said his feet will do most of his talking.
On Sunday he took his first steps in a 1,300 mile walk from Dallas to West Palm Beach, Florida. He said this is his way in taking a stand against racism.
" My feet feel great," said the now Florida DJ 25 miles into journey. "We're just warming up."
While the walk began with a sendoff at Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, the inspiration started three years ago when Dee's mother was diagnosed with cancer.
Before she died, Dee told her he was going to walk across the country to raise awareness about the disease.
"She was like don't do that," recalled Dee. "Somebody already does that. Do something different. She was like is there anything in their world you would love to change. And I said racism."
To every passing car Dee waves and whether they're black or white, he asks if they join him.
On day one, a half of dozen men joined Dee on the 46 mile walk from Dallas to Kaufman.
For many of them they've been down a long road before.
John Wiggins of Dallas plans to make the entire trip. He's a recovering drug addict.
"Every day that I walk is a day that I stay clean," said Wiggins as walked along Belt Line Road near Lancaster
Wiggins said this walk is his chance to do something positive. On Monday when they pass by his mother's gravesite near Terrell, he said it will be the chance his been waiting for for six years.
"She never got to see it so I'm going to make sure to tell her your son is sober and clean and doing the right thing," said Wiggins.
By the end of their journey, Dee said he hopes he'll be able to tell people lives were changed when they came together for a cause that so often divides.
"But first I got to finish it," he said.
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