The Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization (W6PSPO) hosted the monthly walk to school day event Wednesday morning at Lincoln Park. More than 70 parents, students and dogs gathered at the park for socially distanced games and a ‘Good Trouble’ walk. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers lead the walk around the perimeter of the park.
This year, the event honored the life of John Lewis, the celebrated civil rights activist who passed earlier this year in July who spoke at the event last year. Participants can also sign a “Good Trouble Pledge,” vowing that if they see something that is not fair or not right, they will do or say something.
Lewis spoke at a 2017 Walk to School Day event at Lincoln Park. He often refered to walking as a part of his work for justice.
Walk to School Day, organized nationally by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, brings the community together to raise awareness about the importance of safe routes, and the W6SPSO believes that key to this is to support by-right, neighborhood schools that students and families can walk or bike to easily. Typically, the event features local speakers such as area residents, ANC Commissioners and politicians and food for attendees, but in light of the pandemic the event was adapted so that kids could practice social distancing.
Event co-organizer Sandra Moscoso-Mills spoke about the changes to the event amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Moscoso-Mills said the organizers want to encourage community while maintaining social distancing measures to keep everyone safe.
“What’s different is no snacks, no speakers, we just didn’t want to create the big congregation kind of spots we spread out as much as possible,” Moscoso-Mills said.
“Usually we like to get people together so that you feel like you see your friends and we’re in the crowd and this year, we didn’t do that.”
The League of Women Voters of the District of Columbia attended the event and provided information to community members about how to register to vote and renewing their voter registration as well as election information.
If you were unable to attend in person you can still join in the festivities virtually by posting photos of yourself doing a Good Trouble Walk and using the #GoodTroubleWalk and tagging @W6PSPO and @LWVDC on Instagram and Twitter.
Learn more about Walk to School Day by visiting www.walkbiketoschool.org/registration and about W6PSPO by visiting w6pspo.org
