It’s an opportunity for men to show solidarity with women, not only literally but also symbolically. The 4th Annual St. Mary’s College and Walden Sierra “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” will take place Sunday, April 6 at the college track.
The event features men wearing women’s shoes taking four laps around the track: a leader’s lap, a men’s lap, a lap honoring survivors and an empowerment lap. It’s all to raise awareness about rape, sexual assault and gender violence.
No need for men to bring women’s shoes. They will be provided during a check-in period starting at 2 p.m. The laps begin at 2:30 p.m.
The national event known as “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” (WAM), according to the program’s web site (http://walkamileinhershoes.org/), was started in 2001 by Frank Baird, who at the time worked with victims of sexual assault at the Valley Trauma Counseling Center at California State University, Northridge. Baird created WAM as a way to get more men involved in efforts to end sexualized violence.
For more information about the St. Mary’s College walk email mkroot@smcm.edu or find the event on Facebook at SMCMFRN. In addition to Walden Sierra, the event is sponsored by the college’s First Responder Network and Green Dot.
Walk-up registrants will be accepted and refreshments will be served.
