GirlTREK

Year Founded: 2010

It began as a call to walk between two friends and has now grown into an organization that reaches 7 percent of Black women in the United States, representing one in 14 Black households and more than one million members nationwide.

At its core, GirlTREK is more than walking. Black women in the U.S. die at higher and faster rates than any other group from preventable chronic diseases. GirlTREK confronts this crisis head-on with a radical, intergenerational solution: women walking together, talking together, and solving problems together to combat what it calls the “three deadly I’s”—inactivity, isolation, and injustice.

The movement has earned national attention and endorsements from leaders including Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, and GirlTREK’s story has gone viral through two TED Talks viewed by millions worldwide. Among its award-winning innovations are walking podcasts that transform everyday walks into “walking classrooms,” where women learn strategies for healthier living and hear stories that inspire action. GirlTREK also leads nationwide campaigns that mobilize women to practice self-care, address local challenges, and strengthen their communities. To date, more than 10,000 women have been trained as local organizers, equipped to lead change where they live.