Community
GirlTrek is Changing the Health of Black Women Through Walking
I was first introduced to GirlTrek when founders Vanessa Garrison and T. Morgan Dixon hosted a live conversation with poet Nikki Giovanni and civil rights activist Angela Davis on FaceBook.
It was extraordinary to say the least.
Garrison and Dixon met in college and are now visiting professors in Harvard Kennedy School on Social Innovation at Harvard University.
Founded in 2010, the premise of the organization is simple: they are a health organization for Black women and girls in the United States. With their motto — ‘Take a Walk, Join a Movement’ – Garrison and Dixon encourage health through walking as the first step.
Per their website, GirlTrek.org: “Walking is the single most powerful thing a woman can do for her health,” according to Dr. Michael Evans. Heart disease is reduced by 50%; diabetes by 58%; dementia by 50%; anxiety by 48%; and depression by 47%.
They have reached their initial goal of having 1 million women walking and now are upping it to 2 million.
GirlTrek celebrated their millionth walker by having a block party on Facebook Live with D-Nice spinning and performances by India.Arie, Baby Rose, poet Aja Monet and Tawiah.
Girltrek participants can walk anywhere, indoors/outdoors, solo or in their neighborhoods, or in groups, socially distanced. There are GirlTrek chapters all over the U.S., including one in Oakland.
According to their web site, membership clearly has its benefits.
In 2019, 26% of GirlTrek members reported taking fewer medications; 61% had lost weight, 40% reported improvements from a previous health condition, and 98% of those diagnosed with depression reported that walking improved their symptoms.
And like almost anything involving Black women these days, GirlTrek is a movement, too, with a focus on education and voting.
They offer Black History boot camps via walking podcasts including a 21-day walking meditation that focuses on foremothers, Fannie Lou Hamer, Shirley Chisholm and Septima Clark.
(Hamer was known for speaking on nationwide television when white Democrats had excluded Blacks from representation at the 1964 Democratic Convention. Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to Congress and Clark, an educator, who helped develop literacy programs instrumental in the enfranchisement of Black people in the South.)
Another component of GirlTrek is #Black Girl Justice League, a voter mobilization effort to get out the vote. The U.S. general election is over, the inauguration is set for Jan. 20, 2021, but there is an important election in Georgia on Jan. 5, 2021.
The Georgia senatorial run-off election has Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock vying to unseat the Republican incumbents, which would allow Democrats to gain control of the U.S. Senate.
GirlTrek offers merchandise on their site, including masks, T-shirts, hoodies, and more: For more information go to GirlTrek.org and you can sign up there, too.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of June 12-18, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 12-18, 2024
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Antonio Ray Harvey
More Segregated Than Deep South: ACLU Releases Report on Calif. Public Schools
The 2024 State of Black Education: Report Card was recently published by the American Civil Liberties Union California Action (ACLU California Action). It states that California is the third most segregated state for Black students. Co-author of the report, policy counsel Amir Whitaker from ACLU Southern California explained the criteria the ACLU use to rank California during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education held at the State Capitol the day after the Memorial Day holiday.
By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media
The 2024 State of Black Education: Report Card was recently published by the American Civil Liberties Union California Action (ACLU California Action).
It states that California is the third most segregated state for Black students.
Co-author of the report, policy counsel Amir Whitaker from ACLU Southern California explained the criteria the ACLU use to rank California during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education held at the State Capitol the day after the Memorial Day holiday.
“For every state in the Deep South, California (schools) are more segregated,” Whittaker said. “People often think that California is not segregated or unequal as Deep South states and others. The inequalities here (in California) are actually wider.”
New York and Illinois are ahead of California regarding the racial diversity of their student bodies. According to a report May 2022 report by Stanford Graduate School of Education, the Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City school districts are in the top 10 most racially segregated districts for White-Black, White-Hispanic, and White-Asian segregation based on the average levels from 1991-2020.
In bigger school districts, segregation between low-income (students who are eligible for free lunch) and non-low-income students increased by 47% since 1991, according to the Stanford Graduate School’s report.
“That’s why it’s important to look at this data,” Whitaker said. “When you have millions of people living in places like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, the urban areas are a lot more segregated than the south. That’s a big part of it.
A number of factors contribute to the segregation of schools in California such as parents sending their children to private schools, others optioning for homeschooling, and other reasons, Whitaker said.
The Brown v. Board of Education case declared that separating children in public schools based on race was unconstitutional. However, Whitaker pointed to cases after the landmark decision that circumvented that federal law.
According to a 2014 report by the Civil Rights Project, in the 1990s, decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court decision ended federal desegregation orders in San Francisco and San Jose. In addition, court decisions in the state that ordered desegregation in the 1970s were overturned by the 1990s. Legally, California has no school integration policy to adhere to.
“This is why we did this report. There needs to be a report just on this issue (of school segregation),” Whitaker told California Black Media. “Right now, there’s no task force or anything addressing it. I have never seen the California Department of Education talk about it. This is a pandemic (and) a crisis.”
ACLU Northern California hosted an overview of the report and panel discussion at the State Capitol on May 29. California Black Legislative Caucus member Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) and Sen. Steven Bradford were the guest speakers. Parents, students, educators, and Black education advocates from all over the state attended the 90-minute presentation at the State Capitol.
School segregation is the No. 1 issue listed in among the report’s “24 areas of documented inequality,” along with problematic trends of racial harassment, a continuous decline of Black student enrollment, school closures, connection with school staff, chronic absenteeism, low Black teacher representation, and parent participation.
Art
Mayor Breed, Actor Morris Chestnut Attend S.F.’s Indie Night Film Festival
On June 1, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based Indie Night Film Festival arrived at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco. San Francisco native Dave Brown, Founder and CEO of the Indie Night Film Festival, has a vision for the film industry that is squarely focused on promoting the many talented producers, actors, and designers contributing to this billion-dollar industry. The festival has been running for 12 years and it’s only up from here, he says.
By Y’Anad Burrell
On June 1, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based Indie Night Film Festival arrived at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco.
San Francisco native Dave Brown, Founder and CEO of the Indie Night Film Festival, has a vision for the film industry that is squarely focused on promoting the many talented producers, actors, and designers contributing to this billion-dollar industry. The festival has been running for 12 years and it’s only up from here, he says.
A weekly celebration of cinematic artistry designed to elevate emerging talent while providing a platform for networking and collaboration, entrepreneur Dave Brown created Indie Night to bridge gaps within the filmmaking community by fostering connections between like-minded individuals worldwide. The Indie Film Festival currently has over 450 film submissions worldwide, and its cinematic vault only continues to grow.
The festival showcased over 10 short films and trailers, and featured Faces of the “City: Fighting for the Soul of America,” produced by veteran actor Tisha Campbell. This film is about the vibrancy and legacy of San Francisco. The festival also previewed “When It Reigns,” a trailer by Oakland’s burgeoning filmmaker Jamaica René.
Indie films have not just challenged traditional cinematic norms; they’ve shattered them. These films offer unique storytelling perspectives and push creative boundaries in truly inspiring ways. With their smaller budgets and independent spirit, they often tackle unconventional subjects and portray diverse characters, providing a refreshing alternative to mainstream cinema. As a result, indie films have resonated with audiences seeking an escape from formulaic blockbusters and are increasingly celebrated for their authenticity and originality.
Organizers say the mission of Indie Night is to elevate the craft of independent artists and creators. It also provides a venue for them to showcase their work, network, and exchange information with new and established creatives. It creates a community that values and supports independent art.
For more about the Indie Night Film Festival, visit www.indienightfilmfestival.com.
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