“This is a new freedom movement – freedom from disease and depression holding us back from our healthiest, most fulfilled lives.” – T. Morgan Dixon, Co-Founder, GirlTrek
Black women are dying younger and at higher rates than any other group in America; 4 out of 5 black women are over a healthy body weight; and 1 in 2 Black girls born in 2000 will likely get diabetes unless diet or levels of activity change. Chronic stress is a leading contributor to poor health among Black women.
READ: Unapologetically Healthy: 26 Of The Realest Reasons Black Women Walk
GirlTrek, a national nonprofit and health movement currently supporting more than 50,000 women in leading more active lives, is hosting #WeAreHarriet, a national conversation on self-care and #BlackGirlHealing. The conversation starts on Thursday, March 10th, Harriet Tubman Day and concludes with sunrise walks on Saturday, March 12th.
Using the legendary conductor’s example of liberating herself and her family by walking to freedom, GirlTrek’s goal is to inspire women to commit to self-care and a daily walking routine. On Thursday, March 10th, Harriet Tubman Day, thousands of African-American women and girls will participate in this national event by hosting and attending Harriet House Parties.” “Harriet House Parties” will feature dinner and a movie screening of GirlTrek’s never-before-seen mini-documentary that highlights what happens when women walk, a red carpet strut along with guided discussion questions.
From New York City, on Thursday, March 10th, GirlTrek co-founders, Vanessa Garrison and T. Morgan Dixon, will host their very own “Harriet House Party” featuring producer and writer Tonya Lewis Lee; writer and activist, Michaela Angela Davis; Anayah Sangodele-Ayoka of Moms Rising and Nakisha Lewis, Senior Strategist of the Ms. Foundation for Women.
From New York City, Dixon and Garrison will introduce the premiere of GirlTrek’s mini-documentary that highlights what happens when women walk.
“Harriet Tubman was the greatest freedom fighter the world has ever known. She took control of her own destiny and GirlTrek is asking Black women and girls to do the same to join a walking movement to live healthier, longer lives in the name of our ancestor,” said GirlTrekco-founder, Vanessa Garrison. “Harriet Tubman was bold enough to believe she could be free and brave enough to walk to freedom. If she could walk with the slave catchers after her, we have no excuse for not getting up to literally walk to good health.”
It doesn’t stop there.
On Saturday, March 12th, GirlTrekkers from Seattle to Washington D.C. and Brooklyn to Los Angeles and everywhere in between will gather for sunrise walks where they will participate in commitment circles and set their yearly health goals.
GirlTrek co-founders Dixon and Garrison will lead a sunrise walk at the Harriet Tubman statue in Harlem.
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WHO: GirlTrek is a groundbreaking 3-year-old national nonprofit that mobilizes women to live their healthiest, most fulfilled lives through a habit of daily walking. GirlTrek is effectively reaching, involving, and mobilizing African-American women and girls to engage in daily physical activity. Recently featured as a model of success by the U.S. Surgeon General and the Stanford Social Innovation Review, GirlTrek ‘s partners include Let’s Move, Kaiser Permanente, REI and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
WHAT: #WeAreHarriet: A national conversation on self-care and #BlackGirlHealing
WHEN: Thursday, March 10th: “Harriet House Parties” across the country
Saturday, March 12th: 7 a.m. Sunrise Walks nationwide
HOW: Join the conversation by following and using #WeAreHarriet starting on March 10, 2016.
- Download the toolkit and host a “Harriet House Party.”
- Participate in a sunrise walk.
Contact:
Jewel Bush, National Communications Director
(202) 681-3033; [email protected]