When walking is resistance
Pictured: Trekker walking in the Annapolis, MD Juneteenth Parade.
Dear GirlTREK Family,
Imagine this: You’re on your way to work, navigating crumbling sidewalks overgrown with weeds, just trying to make it through the day. Suddenly, you’re stopped by the police, questioned, and handcuffed. Your crime? Walking in the street because the sidewalks were impassable. This happened to a young Black woman in Toledo, Ohio just before the Fourth of July. Watch the video here.
This is the video that we watched as we entered into the holiday weekend.
There was fear and frustration in this young girl's voice as she called her father on the phone, while asking the police officer why she was being stopped and why he needed her name. His response? “Because you’re suspected of a crime.” The young lady asks how. The officer replied, “Walking in the street is a crime.”
He then writes her a citation.
We then, as a country, shut down our offices and headed out to pop fireworks, eat BBQ and celebrate our freedom.
This young sister’s story is why GirlTREK exists. We understand that our streets, our bodies, and our communities are battlegrounds.
Just days before this incident, our senior team gathered in New York to strategize on our 10-year vision to increase life expectancy for Black women. We faced challenging questions in a room full of consultants who rightfully pushed, asking if our ambitions were too vast, questioning if we were trying to do “too much.”
This is a question Black women hear all too often—whether it’s about our hair, lashes, nails, or the scope of our work.
And the truth is, it is too much.
Too much injustice. Too many Black women who can’t even walk down the street safely.
It’s why for the past 10 years, we have championed the built environment. We’ve trained women to conduct walkability audits, advocated for safer streets, and supported local efforts to improve infrastructure.
And it’s why we will continue to do so, even as we get more sophisticated with our strategy.
We always knew that what happened in Toledo was happening everywhere. Our deep understanding of our community’s needs and our commitment to act on it are what make GirlTREK so effective.
Emboldened by the reality of what we just heard about in Toledo and empowered by the work we had just done with our consultants, we opted out of fireworks and barbecues. Instead, we packed our bags and headed to New Orleans, invited to a powerful gathering of leaders, thinkers, innovators, creators, and public servants. We were there to join forces and discuss a Southern Strategy—continuing to lay down the tracks of a new underground railroad, a new abolitionist network.
GirlTREK was at the table because our solutions are respected, and we are proud to represent our million-women constituency in these critical conversations.
While we were on the ground, Essence Fest was in full swing, and we hosted a Rendezvous Point at Congo Square, coming together for the Maafa walk and commemoration to honor the ancestors. We walked, wearing white, in a beautiful procession down to the river.
It was moving to the soul, and even more powerful because at the exact same time that we stood on the banks of the Mississippi, our National Field Director, Hailey Darby, was in Houston supporting the family of Angela Stewart and her son Mason.
Angela Stewart was a devoted trekker. Her and her son were tragically taken from us on his 16th birthday. Killed by a police cruiser that was on a high speed chase.
At the funeral, the sisterhood showed up powerfully, as told by Hailey in this reflection.
“Today we laid Angela Stewart and her son Mason to rest! There truly was a sea of blue there to support their family. There were definitely tears of sadness, but also tears of absolute joy as I sat behind rows and rows of GirlTrek sisters. I can’t believe the work we do day in and day out is for the hard moments too. This was my first funeral for a trekker since I’ve been on the national staff and boy did Sisterhood Saturday hit in a whole new way. Today, Angela’s daughter said that Angela would call her while she’s away at school for college and tell her how excited she was for GirlTrek. What an absolute gift that in one of the hardest moments, someone’s daughter is talking about the impact of GirlTrek while she lays her mom and brother to rest. Today has changed my spirit and the way I’ll forever look at GT. This is a very long text to say thank you. I don’t say it enough but thank you for starting a movement that has changed my life and so many others. Love you both so much!”
Pictured: Trekkers in Houston supporting the family of fellow trekker Angela Stewart who died in a tragic car accident with her son Mason.
From Toledo, Ohio, to New Orleans, Louisian, to Houston Texas, this is why our walking is resistance, and it’s why we need each and every one of you on the GirlTREK Underground app.
This app is not just a fitness tracker. If it were, we would tell you to just stick to your apple watch or your Fitbit or whatever device you love. But we are asking you to download and join us on the GirlTREK Underground because this is where we will start to do our deepest organizing, teaching, and inspiring.
Currently in Beta version and available to Apple users, the app will soon be available to Android users, expanding our reach even further. It’s about more than tracking miles; it’s about mobilizing for justice and cultivating a safe and sacred community.
To the women who have been setting it on fire, leading the way as the Harriets, we see you and we thank you.
To those of you who we see out there each day through #GirlTREK, walking, organizing your crews, and representing the movement, we see you and we thank you.
To those of you who have yet to make a move—and there are so many of you reading this—we talk to you everyday. You get the emails, you love the message, but somehow, you have not taken the first step. To you, our sisters, we say, today can be your day 1. This week can be your start line. All it takes is 30 minutes. Something more profound that you can imagine will happen for you when you are out there on the pavement. The testimonies on GirlTREK Underground are the proof, and the community that is already there is waiting to become your biggest cheerleaders and support.
Walk with us today.
Walk with us this week.
We love you.
The GirlTREK Team