Students gathered Thursday night for the second annual Unity Walk on campus.

They gathered around 6:30 p.m. at Centennial Mall, and then walked down to Pearce Ford Tower before walking back up the hill.

Two students led the front, carrying a paper banner which read “AS ONE WE HEAL” and below that, “2nd Annual Unity Walk.” Rallied behind the sign were over 100 students. Their voices carried as they marched up the Avenue of Champions, engaged in a call-and-response chant of “we are one” and “as we heal.”

Leading the chant was York, Pennsylvania senior Iesha Sanchez. The chant and the event were both created by her.

“I feel like we’re in a society where we need to heal, we need to forgive and we need to rise together,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez began the walk last year due to the tense political climate at WKU, citing specifically the racist notes sent to a teacher and a student’s car being vandalized with a racist slur. She said she continued the event this year with the hopes that it would make students feel safe, accepted and respected on campus.

“I think that we need to be mindful and look inside ourselves. People, all people, in their environment need to feel safe and accepted. [They need to be] tolerant of everyone and respecting everyone, whatever they choose to believe or how they choose to live their life.”