Get to Know the Chicago Girls Who Walk
Published on October 12, 2023
eATLAS has partnered with Chicago Girls Who Walk in taking our scavenger hunt of the Museum Campus back in April. On Oct. 22 they’ll be taking our walking tour of Graceland Cemetery.
By Dave Lifton (@daveeatschicago)
On any given weekend, you may see scores of women strolling together on the streets or parks of the Windy City. They’re members of a club called Chicago Girls Who Walk.
The concept is as straightforward as its name. Participants show up at a pre-determined location and walk a route, usually somewhere between 2.5 and 3 miles, using the time together to make friends and/or network while getting fresh air and exercise. The walks, which are publicized on the group’s social media channels, usually take place on either Saturdays on Sundays, weather permitting. They are free and there are no membership fees, nor does attendance require signing up in advance.
As of October 2023, CGWW has more than 53,000 followers on Instagram, 13,500 followers on TikTok, and 2,000 followers on Facebook.
Chicago Girls Who Walk can trace its origins back to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mia Lind, a senior at the University of Southern California, began taking four-mile walks to clear her mind amid the isolation. She found them helpful in boosting her self-confidence and, in January 2021, posted a video to TikTok describing what she called the “Hot Girl Walk.” The idea was to use the trek to think exclusively about three things:
1. What you’re grateful for
2. Your goals and how you’re going to achieve them
3. How hot you are
The video went viral and inspired millions of women, including Brianna Kohn, who added her own twist a little more than a year later. Looking to make some new friends as life returned to normal, the New Yorker sent an open invitation on TikTok to any woman who wanted to go on a walk with her. Kohn was expecting only a handful of people, and was shocked when more than 250 met her at the place. She subsequently formed City Girls Who Walk.
Shortly thereafter, Micaila Marcinko had seen Kohn’s videos and decided to create a similar group in Chicago. She quickly met Stephanie Swiatkiewicz and Hannah Mehta to help her with event planning and managing the social media accounts. Chicago Girls Who Walk began on a cold day in March 2022 with a walk in Lincoln Park with nearly 50 participants. Within six weeks, more than 230 people showed up for an afternoon on the Riverwalk.
“I literally just started this to help people make friends and make friends myself,” Marcinko told the Chicago Tribune this past May. “We’re just taking it day by day, because I didn’t expect any of this to go as far as it has.”
Since then, the group has hit some of Chicago’s most scenic locales, including Chinatown’s Ping Tom Park, the 606, Humboldt Park, Lakefront Trail, and Horner Park. But CGWW is more than just about the walks. Its outings are often paired with other activities, such as private shopping events at local businesses, Chicago Cubs games, and even workshops on how to buy a condo. Other social nights, such as happy hours or dance and yoga classes, are held during the week each month.
Although Chicago Girls Who Walk takes a break from its walks during the winter, the club hosts regular meetups like trips to the Christkindlmarket, ZooLights, ice skating at Maggie Daley Park, and virtual movie nights on Discord.
“My favorite part is seeing individuals coming together, getting some steps in, getting outside, as well as making friendships and hopefully, you know, lifelong long memories,” Mehta told Secret Chicago. “We’ve created a platform for people to get together in person, something that’s not in front of a screen, [where you can] find people with similar interests.”
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