Community In Motion

WHEN YOU SEE 400 women in workout gear walking the streets of Miami, you might think it’s a parade or a protest. In reality, it’s Girls on the Walk. This community of women, founded by Lucia Di Tore and Monica Villegas, combines exercise, networking, and brand activation into one fun event. Di Tore and Villegas met at a similar event in Brickell; there are many walking clubs that aim to connect communities that want to meet outside of the usual bars and clubs. After talking nonstop about their shared interests and similar work in marketing, they decided they wanted to help people meet in a similar way. “Being remote after the pandemic and everything, it kind of made it hard for friendships and true connection, and then through walks is where I started connecting with people,” Villegas tells us in a joint interview.

CULTIVATING FRIENDSHIPS

There’s no agenda beyond genuine friendships across ages and backgrounds. Because they attract such a large group of women, Girls on the Walk was turning heads on Aug. 30 at Dadeland Mall, where they partnered with several stores to start a stamp scavenger hunt that had attendees getting their steps in.

Miami is a city of extremes, and that can be intimidating for newcomers. Neither of the women are from Florida—Di Tore is from Paraguay and works as a pilates instructor, Villegas is a social media marketer from Colombia, and most recently Chicago—so it was important that they create a space that is welcoming. In a city that prides itself on exclusive experiences, here comes a party that everyone is invited to.

“We were both very lonely. It’s really hard being here with no friends. These walks help us find each other. So many people moved to Miami, so many people are lonely like us,” says Di Tore. “It’s a really wholesome community that wants to meet other girls.”

Whether taking a nature walk through Coconut Grove or stepping into Edgewater to take in ocean views, Girls on the Walk is all smiles and chatter for miles. Since 2022, they’ve been turning heads.

“Even after the walk was done, the girls were trying to do their own thing or still hang out. They didn’t want to leave that space that we were creating,” says Villegas. “We were like, what if we started partnering with brands that can offer them a coffee after the walk or at least a discount?”

One of the most memorable moments since then has been a walk in Miami Beach, where Girls on the Walk partnered with Time Out market. The attendees received a new swimsuit and spent the day together on the beach. They’ve gone to grab matcha at Navi, trekked to Sephora, and now they’ve walked Dadeland Mall three times. Even the Miami Dolphins have taken up a partnership with Girls on the Walk for a Sunday stroll.

“We started growing and growing to the point where bands started reaching out to us,” Villegas recalls, sharing that the brand engagement expanded their walks from Brickell to other neighborhoods.

The brands aren’t showing up by coincidence; These partnerships attract women from all walks of life and have garnered the attention of the biggest stores in the mall. Saks Fifth Avenue had three stamp stations this time, and the tables were crowded with hundreds of eager women and girls ready to grab freebies and do a little shopping. Of course, they had to start small: 10 to 30 people per event. As they grew, challenges rose with the numbers. Di Tore and Villegas have found a few solutions: Don’t walk at peak times, walk the route in advance, and avoid crosswalks and blocking traffic.

EXPANDING TO DADELAND

The Dadeland walk began at 9:30 a.m. when the mall was practically empty, and ended at 1 p.m. just as regular shoppers started to roll in. “9 a.m. seems not that early to me, but I know that it is to most people, so it caters to a lot of people that are like, ‘You know what, I want to be more into wellness,’” Villegas says, but adds that every type of woman has joined the community, including party girls. She and Di Tore had a hard time fitting into the nightlife culture, making them more grateful for these walks.

“There’s a lot of people that come here, they’re shy. It’s intimidating to see a massive group of girls just there, but they’re all there for the same reason, so I feel more comfortable than just going to the gym and saying hi to someone,” Di Tore explains. “This is a setting that was made specifically for that.”

There’s an air of accomplishment throughout the shopping center, an excitement that can only be had when achieving something for your health. Plus, the way the walks strengthen bonds between local Miamians and local businesses can’t be replicated. “Working with Dadeland is honestly so nice,” says Di Tore. “They’re so organized, they love doing walks with us.”

“We do the walk and then the girls still need to go to the stores and collect some stickers, and it feels like this fun, childlike [thing],” Villegas adds.

Community building can seem complicated. Getting people to show up, engage on social media, and tell their friends is an endeavor both women have dedicated their careers to. What made Girls on the Walk an easy sell is that it filled a need for a large group of people and did it in the simplest way possible. Their intentions are the foundation; doing it for the joy of connecting people and nothing else. The result is full friend groups formed on the walks, kids showing up with their moms, and locals discovering new businesses.

Di Tore says, “The reason I was able to stay [in Miami] is because I met good people.”

Villegas agrees, saying, “My friend group is basically all people I met through walks. Being able to now have a friend group, Miami feels like home now.”

BY MORGAN C. MULLINGS