We Belong Here
The Takoma Park Equity Walk
After visiting the stations and completing the activities, fill out our survey to share your thoughts and receive a FREE and EXCLUSIVE We Belong Here: The Takoma Park Equity Walk T-Shirt! (Must present a U.S. based address to receive T-Shirt).
Overview
Welcome to a new way to explore equity in our community. The Takoma Park Equity Walk is designed to challenge users to explore Equity by examining who we are and what makes us feel valued and included. By talking with others we learn and appreciate their need to be valued and included. The overarching theme of individual worth is central to a community where everyone belongs. Each station invites you to engage in a fun, physical activity, then use the associated prompts to spark discussion. Additional resources are available to enhance learning and understanding about ourselves and others. We Belong Here.
How to Start
Click your location along the top ribbon to jump to points for Anne Street or the Community Center. Each pin on the map represents an activity station. You can start or stop at any station. Visit the Equity Walk as often as you like. Click here to learn more and access additional resources. There are ten stations near the Takoma Park Community Center and seven stations on Anne Street near University Boulevard.
"Real change, enduring change happens one step at a time." - Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Community Center Stations
Takoma Park Community Center Locations (Philadelphia Ave, Holly Ave, & Grant Ave)
Taking Steps
By the Community Center Basketball Court
Step from stone to stone. Only step on the big stones, only step on the small stones. Pick a color and only step on that color.
What makes you feel successful? What makes you feel proud? What are your goals? Think about baby steps versus giant leaps. How does it feel to challenge yourself?
“I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.” Helen Keller
Bursting Bubbles
Near the Takoma Park Library Entrance
Jump on the bubble to burst stereotypes and make affirmations: Shred the Word, Black Lives Matter, Girl Power, I Belong, You Belong, We Belong. Think up your own thing to say as you "pop" the bubbles.
What is a stereotype? What is an assumption? What is bias? What is prejudice? What is discrimination? What is an affirmation?
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” James Baldwin
Walk the Walk
Sidewalk along Philadelphia Avenue between entrance to Community Center parking lot and Holly Ave.
Follow the steps of a bear, elephant, frog.
If you were an animal, what animal would you be? What is your favorite animal and why? What are the ways different animals get around? What are the different ways humans get around? What makes you feel unique? What makes you feel valued?
“If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.” Maya Angelou
Leaps and Bounds
Stewart Armstrong Park, on the corner of Philadelphia and Holly
Jump from log to log.
What does is mean to take a risk? How does it feel to take a risk? Give an example of taking a good risk? Give an example of a bad or dangerous risk?
“For there is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it.” Amanda Gorman
Hop, Skip, & Jump
Sidewalk in front of Takoma Park Elementary School
Find a rock or twig. Toss it to the number 1. Hop through the numbers, skipping number one. Turn around and come back picking up your rock at number 1. Now toss to number 2 and continue. Two or more can play by taking turns.
What games do you like? Do you like to play on a team or on your own? What does it mean to take turns? What does fair mean? Is fair the same as equal?
“Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. Fairness means everyone gets what they need.” Rick Riordan
Walking on Tip Toes
Sidewalk at corner of Holly and Grant
Stay on your tip toes, follow the snakes body from head to tail.
What does it mean to tiptoe around a subject? Have you been quiet when you could have said something? What makes you want to speak out?
“We realize the importance of our voice when we are silenced.” Malala Yousafzai
Staying Balanced
Heading up Grant to Takoma Park Middle School
Balance on the tightrope, walking with one foot in front of the other. Pretend you are high up in the air. Try not to fall off.
What does it mean to have balance in our life? What makes you feel anxiety or "out of balance?" What if you fall? Can you get back up again?
"It’s time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals.” Emma Watson
Lead and Follow
Turn around at Takoma Park Middle School
Stand facing another person. One person is the leader; the other follows. Dance, make funny faces, move your arms and legs, be creative. Say something in another language or in sign language. Switch the leader and the follower.
How are we the same, how are we different? How does it feel to be different? What makes you feel proud? What makes you feel unique? Are you a leader or a follower?
"Be yourself, everyone else is taken." Oscar Wilde
Walking and Talking
Grant Ave between Holly and the park
Follow the foot prints heel to toe.
Pause at each word. Think about the meaning. Talk about what each word means in your family, in your community in our country. Say these and your own affirmations: I am kind. I am curious. I am creative. I belong.
What does it mean to "walk in someone else's shoes?"
Are you kind? Are you curious? Are you creative? Do you respect others? Do you respect yourself? What makes you feel included? What is an affirmation? Say these and your own affirmations: I am kind. I am curious. I am creative. I belong.
“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” Frederich Nietzsche
Tree Pose
In front of the park on Grant Ave
Begin by standing with your arms at your sides.
Shift your weight to your left foot. Position your right foot like in the picture.
Do not rest your foot against your knee, only above or below it.
Inhale as you extend your arms overhead, reaching your fingertips to the sky. Rotate your palms inward to face each other.
What is hard for you? What is easy? Why is practice important? What makes you feel calm?
“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” Henry Ford
Anne Street Stations
Anne St Locations between Kennewick Ave and University Boulevard
Tree Pose
Begin by standing with your arms at your sides.
Shift your weight to your left foot. Position your right foot like in the picture.
Do not rest your foot against your knee, only above or below it.
Inhale as you extend your arms overhead, reaching your fingertips to the sky. Rotate your palms inward to face each other.
What is hard for you? What is easy? Why is practice important? What makes you feel calm?
“Change your thoughts and change your world.” Norman Peale
Walking on Tip Toes
Stay on your tip toes, follow the snakes body from head to tail.
What does it mean to tiptoe around a subject? Have you been quiet when you could have said something? What makes you want to speak out?
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Martin Luther King
Walking and Talking
Pause at each word. Think about the meaning. Talk about what each word means in your family, in your community in our country. Say these and your own affirmations: I am kind. I am curious. I am creative. I belong.
Are you kind? Are you curious? Are you creative? Do you respect others? Do you respect yourself? What makes you feel included? What is an affirmation? Say these and your own affirmations: I am kind. I am curious. I am creative. I belong.
“We realize the importance of our voice when we are silenced.” Malala Yousafzai
Hop, Skip, & Jump
Find a rock or twig. Toss it to the number 1. Hop through the numbers, skipping number one. Turn around and come back picking up your rock at number 1. Now toss to number 2 and continue. Two or more can play by taking turns.
What games do you like? Do you like to play on a team or on your own? What does it mean to take turns? What does fair mean? Is fair the same as equal?
“Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. Fairness means everyone gets what they need.” Rick Riordan
Leaps and Bounds
Jump from log to log.
What does is mean to take a risk? How does it feel to take a risk? Give an example of taking a good risk? Give an example of a bad or dangerous risk?
“If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.” Maya Angelou
Bursting Bubbles
Jump on the bubble to burst stereotypes and make affirmations: Shred the Word, Black Lives Matter, Girl Power, I Belong, You Belong, We Belong. Think up your own thing to say as you "pop" the bubbles.
What is a stereotype? What is an assumption? What is bias? What is prejudice? What is discrimination? What is an affirmation?
“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” Benjamin Franklin
Taking Steps
Step from stone to stone. Only step on the big stones, only step on the small stones. Pick a color and only step on that color.
What makes you feel successful? What makes you feel proud? What are your goals? Think about baby steps versus giant leaps. How does it feel to challenge yourself?
“I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.” Helen Keller
