GirlTrek is Challenging Black Women to Walk 100 Miles by May 10th
Through rain, sleet, snow and on long-winding rural roads, on the shoulder of major bustling interstates and on neighborhood streets, the entire GirlTrek national team of 10 spent five days (March 6-10) walking 100 miles along the Eastern Shore of Maryland crossing the Mason Dixon Line into Delaware all to pay homage to Harriet Tubman, the greatest freedom fighter to ever live. GirlTrek is the largest national public health nonprofit and movement for Black women and girls with more than 125,000 members across the country.
Walking the final mile into Tubman Garrett Riverfront Park in Wilmington, Delaware, on March10th, which was Harriet Tubman Day, the GirlTrek team was greeted by a group of nearly 100 local GirlTrekkers as well as women who traveled from New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and as far away as Memphis.
“We just walked 100 miles. Now the question is, can you? We’re challenging every woman in GirlTrek to walk 100 miles between now and May 10th,” said T. Morgan Dixon, GirlTrek cofounder. “Why? Because Harriet did it. Because walking heals.”
On May 13th, Mother’s Day, GirlTrek will release Harriet’s Handbook, a self-guided, year-long walking challenge with hundreds of ideas and walks that women can start and complete at any time. Included with the handbook will be an exclusive invitation for 1,000 Black women to join GirlTrek in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado for its second annual #StressProtest to be held over the 2018 Labor Day weekend.
After a person walks the 100 miles by May 10th, they will be inducted into GirlTrek’s Harriet Hall of Fame, receive a special challenge T-shirt and special Harriet Hall of Fame badge. They will also receive a link to reserve a spot at the #StressProtest before the link goes live to the public as well as a discount code of $100 off the trip.
“Harriet’s Handbook is a roadmap for the revolution, a blueprint for survival, a handbook for total healing,” said Vanessa Garrison, GirlTrek cofounder. “I walked the 100 miles to honor Harriet Tubman and to remind myself that there’s nothing I cannot do. Our team of 10 are everyday Black women from towns like yours, with hopes and dreams like yours, redemption in the works like yours, all hair types and waist-sizes. Please join us in walking 100 more miles.”
The GirlTrek national team includes cofounders Vanessa Garrison of Seattle, Washington, currently living in Washington, D.C.; and T. Morgan Dixon of Sacramento, California; as well as jewel bush of New Orleans, Louisiana; Onika Jervis originally of Guyana, currently living in New Orleans, Louisiana; Chyna Johnson of Columbus, Ohio; Carla Harris of Atlanta, Georgia; Sandria Washington of Chicago, Illinois; Nicole Hubb of Prince George’s County, Maryland; Opa Johnson of Miami, Florida and Edisha Brandy from Haven, Connecticut by way of the United States Virgin Islands.
#HarrietsGreatEscape was featured on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, NowThisNews, TheRoot.com, NBCNews.com in addition to many among other national and regional media outlets.
For information about the second annual #StressProtest and/or the 100 mile-walking challenge, please email info@girltrek.org.
