World’s First Denim Run Series to Celebrate the Courage and Resilience of Sexual Assault Survivors

5K Beach Walk/Run and Wellness Festival in Santa Monica Kick Off First-Ever Denim Run Series During Sexual Assault Awareness Month

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, March 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On April 12, 2026, Santa Monica's beach will become the backdrop for a bold new movement: the inaugural Denim Run, a 5K Run/Walk and Wellness Festival celebrating the courage and resilience of sexual assault survivors. The event launches the world's first Denim Run Series, timed to coincide with Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April.

High-profile survivors joining the movement include Monica Lewinsky, Virginia Giuffre family members Amanda and Sky Roberts, and social media influencer Nadya Okamoto, Co-founder of August, who has a reach of 7.9 million followers. Epstein survivors will be welcome guests at all Denim Run events.

The series was co-founded by survivor and activist Summer Willis and Laurence Cohen, President of TLC MediaWorks. Cohen, who witnessed his mother's abuse firsthand, was drawn to Summer's mission from the start. "Watching her grow from unspoken to outspoken was an inspiration to me and countless others," Cohen said.

One in six American women is raped before the age of 24. Summer was one of them. She was sexually assaulted at age 19. Like many survivors, she did not report it and remained silent for a decade. At age 29, she set out to run 29 marathons in a year to focus attention on sexual assault and to connect fellow survivors to free support mentally, physically and emotionally. It was a powerful journey and it was just the beginning. Summer persuaded legislators in Texas to adopt the state’s first-ever law defining consent. The state respected her effort by passing The Summer Willis Act, which was signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott on September 1, 2025.

WHY RUN IN DENIM?

The Denim Run series derives its direct inspiration from Denim Day. The last Wednesday of April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month is Denim Day. It began in the immediate wake of a shocking ruling by the Italian Supreme Court that overturned a rape conviction because the 19 year-old victim's tight jeans implied consent. The very next day, women in the Italian Parliament arrived at work in jeans in a show of solidarity with the victim. It sparked a global Denim Day movement.

Peace over Violence and its Executive Director Patti Giggans launched Denim Day in 1999. What began as a local awareness event in Los Angeles has since grown into the longest-running sexual violence prevention education campaign in history. Denim Day urges students, businesses, politicians and community leaders to wear jeans as a bold visual statement—challenging misconceptions about sexual assault and calling for changes in consent laws. Denim Day 2026 will take place on Wednesday, April 29.

The Denim Run series is a powerful expansion of the movement. “We believe the superpower of collaboration has connected us with students, nonprofits and volunteers serving the sexual assault community worldwide, said Willis. The inaugural event will take place on April 12, 2026 in Santa Monica with a 5K Run Walk at the beach and a Wellness Festival. The Los Angeles event is sponsored by Dordulian Law Group (DLG) specializing in both adult sexual assault and child sexual abuse cases with a 98% winning record. DLG's unique Sex Crimes Division provides four levels of comprehensive support for victims. www.DLawGroup.com

Follow up Denim Runs will take place in Austin on April 25, near the location of the assault that began Summer’s life changing journey. A New York event is planned for April 18. Future years will see the Denim Runs series expand nationally and internationally. Beyond somber gatherings, they will be a celebration of the courage and resilience of survivors.

The Denim Run Series is presented under the auspices of the Summer Willis Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Proceeds support physical, emotional, and mental health services for survivors. The Foundation will also present an annual Summer Willis Resilience Award.


More information can be found at www.thedenimruns.com

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Summer’s story in 90 seconds

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