I so enjoy our (now monthly) GWCN: Global Walkability Correspondents Network chapter and network meetings!
The meetings are largely dedicated to hearing from different network members about their chapter activities, but they also provide a social opportunity for network members around the world to connect.
In our most recent meeting this past Thursday, it was great to hear from Jamie Trufin- whose GWCN Phoenix chapter is the pioneering chapter, as the first to kick off activities with a local walk (beginning at a farmers market) last December. The Phoenix chapter has been busy with monthly activities and it was really exciting to hear that the city of Phoenix has also reached out to Jamie about his chapter activities and to connect more about walkability research and local development.
It was also great to have Cori Dahl there, as the leader for the GWCN Chicago chapter, another pioneering chapter that has been busy with meet-ups since January. It was great to hear about Cori’s approach to begin with cafe-based meet-ups (considering the winter temperatures) and now begin to shift into local walks.
It was also great to have Toronto-based Lorenzo Mele, the lead for GWCN Toronto, which has an approach including outreach and collaboration with other local organizations and has already been included on a local campaign about washrooms. Their chapter is also engaged with walking audits so will be great to hear about developments with time, as with all other existing chapters and ones to come.
Thank you also to all other meeting participants! The sessions are open to all network members and of course many who are not engaged in chapter development still have great and diverse experience with advocacy and organizing and often bring a lot to the table. It is also an opportunity for us all to vent about diverse barriers to walkability in our communities!
-Annika, founder at Pedestrian Space
