Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison • This profoundly simple act can save the lives of millions of Black women

Walking is the single most powerful thing a Black woman can do for her health, according to Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison. Black women and girls experience higher rates of hypertension and diabetes, higher maternal mortality, and overall shorter life expectancy than other Americans. As a practical first step to healing and transforming their own lives, members of their organization, GirlTrek, form local groups that walk together in their neighborhoods. Today, GirlTrek has blossomed into a global community of over 1.5 million walkers, making it the nation’s largest nonprofit focused on the health of Black women and girls. “We know that when Black women get involved, everything can change,” Morgan says.  In this episode, Dwayne, Morgan, and Vanessa take a walk outside together and discuss the joy of building community through movement; the origin story of GirlTrek; and what’s possible when Black women take to the streets of their neighborhoods.  For more on the work of our guests, Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison: https://www.emersoncollective.com/persons/t-morgan-dixon-vanessa-garrison  To learn more about Almost There and to read the transcript of this episode: https://www.emersoncollective.com/almost-there-podcast  For more on Emerson Collective: https://www.emersoncollective.com/ Learn more about our host, Dwayne Betts: https://www.dwaynebetts.com/ Almost There is produced by Eric Nuzum and Jesse Baker of Magnificent Noise for Emerson Collective. Our production staff includes Eleanor Kagan, Julia Natt, Patrick D’Arcy, Amy Low, Alex Simon, and our sound designers Paul Schneider and Kristin Mueller.  Email us at almostthere@emersoncollective.com.  Subscribe to the Emerson Collective Fellows newsletter: http://www.emersoncollective.com/fellows-newsletter  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Om Podcasten

On Almost There, a new podcast from Emerson Collective, poet and lawyer Dwayne Betts talks to creative problem solvers—architects, doctors, writers, voyagers, organizers, and artists—about their approach to making meaningful social change. In each episode, we’ll learn about the journeys that have led our guests to the big questions driving their work: How do we keep our families and communities healthy? How do we build a fairer immigration system and promote civic participation? How can we stay alert to the beauty around us and harness human ingenuity to protect our planet? The conversations on Almost There will explore these pressing questions and new possibilities. Produced by Magnificent Noise.