Arlanda Brantley says she doesn't come by exercising naturally. Nature? That's not exactly her thing, either. Yet every Saturday, she leads a group of Black women on walks through Waterbury, Connecticut.
NHSW reached out to Brantley and other resident leaders to run the chapter. Ian Blake, coordinator of Community Building and Engagement for NHSW, says starting the program in Waterbury was personal for him; his mother died of a heart attack at age 49. According to the Mayo Clinic, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. among women. It's even higher among Black women, killing 50,000 a year. And African American women are nearly 60% more likely to have high blood pressure than non-Hispanic white women. "Walking is a practical first step to inspire healthy living," Blake says. "We wanted to bring that spirt to Waterbury." The first walk took place on his mother's birthday in July 2019.
"I don't want to exercise," Brantley explains. "But I need to." Through GirlTrek (their team is officially known as NHSW GirlTrek, though they also call themselves the Waterbury Trackers), she meets different people each week, though many become regulars who commit to walking again and again.
"It's all about reliability and showing up," she says of her leadership role. "People trust you when you're consistent. I've built so many relationships." It's made a difference in her health. She was able to eliminate one of her medications after walking led to weight loss.
LaToya Ireland, another organizer who has seen better health since she began walking every Saturday – and other days besides – was at the very first walk in 2019. "While we're walking, we're taking care of ourselves," she says. "We form relationships; meaningful, trustful relationships."
Along with improving health, walking is a way to get women out into the community, connecting with each other and keeping tabs on their neighborhood. "Walking, you learn a lot more about your community," Ireland says. "You see things you don't normally see when you ride a bus or drive."
GirlTrek began more than a decade ago with Vanessa Garrison and T. Morgan Dixon, college friends who turned walking into a self-care initiative. This month, walks include a focus on Black History via Black History Bootcamp, a highly rated "walking podcast" celebrating historically significant Black women."Creating healthier communities takes partnership and a focus on supporting residents most affected by an issue," says Romi Hall, director of Healthy Homes and Communities for NeighborWorks. When partners work together with a community – and when relationships come into play – those programs can serve as an anchor. "NHS Waterbury's partnership with GirlTrek is doing just that, and providing an opportunity for Black women to come together in a safe space to work on improving their individual health while addressing changes they want to make in their neighborhood."
Last year, the Waterbury group logged 659.5 miles. "That's a nice drive somewhere, and they've put that into their health," Blake says. "Volunteers put in 470 hours toward the program." The program wouldn't exist without community organizers making calls and reaching out, he adds.
Ireland convinced her neighbor to join. And each Saturday, the walkers passed a group of women at a bus stop, who eventually joined, too.
Last summer, the group participated in their first 5K, which drew more than 50 Black women – plus
other women in the community, and some men, too. NHSW enlisted health organizations to provide information for what Blake hopes will become an annual event.NHSW offers incentives, like gift cards for walking shoes. Once a month the women go out for breakfast ("healthy, of course," Ireland says) or to get smoothies.
They support each other, reminding one another to take their medication, solving problems while they walk. They cheer when they reach fitness goals.
Brantley lists off the things they celebrate: Walking 10,000 steps, completing a mile, birthdays, weight loss, showing up. , "We celebrate everything," she says.
"We celebrate one another," Ireland adds.
