MDP students and administrators participated in CARE’s Walk in Her Shoes annual fundraiser walk on October 1st. The walk aimed to raise the Atlanta community’s understanding and recognition of the struggles of women and girls living in poverty, while also raising money for CARE initiatives. The event was hosted by CARE, an international non-governmental organization working to empower communities living in poverty and achieve social justice, often through women and girl-centered projects. CARE and Emory have a longstanding partnership, and MDP is proud to play a role in this relationship through student internships and events such as Walk in Her Shoes.

The fundraiser began with a gathering of speakers and informational booths where participants could learn about the struggles faced by women and girls living in poverty, followed by a rousing drumming performance to motivate walkers before departing. The walk itself went along Atlanta’s BeltLine, an urban development project featuring a network of accessible and sustainable trails, paths, and parks throughout Atlanta. Both individuals and teams participated in the walk.

A team of over 20 MDP students and administrators enjoyed the day as they walked along the BeltLine in support of Team Emory, which is continuing to raise funds for CARE through an online fundraising campaign. In total, the event raised a little over $60,000 for CARE’s programs in support of women and girls.  All teams are still continuing to raise funds until November 5th.

Because the event took place along the BeltLine, walkers were able to engage with the wider Atlanta community while reflecting on their positionality as fundraisers and learning from informational posters set up along the walk. Several MDP-ers even had conversations with curious onlookers regarding the purpose of the event and shared ways to become more informed and involved in the fight against global poverty and gender disparities.

MDP was proud to participate in Walk in Her Shoes, especially since several current MDP-ers hold internships with CARE this year. As always, students were happy to have the opportunity to spend time as an MDP community, take advantage of the nice weather and beautiful BeltLine paths, and engage in discussions about development and empowerment of communities worldwide!

Walk in Her Shoes was sponsored by UPS, Delta, and Denton’s.