How Walkin’ Gals is Empowering Women of the RGV
Story by Melissa Cortes Santiago
Edited by Abigail Vela
January has come to an end, and 2025 is in full swing! Now is a good time to remember some of our New Year resolutions and check in on our progress. Whether your goals involve spending more time with family or starting that new hobby, one resolution many of us tend to share is prioritizing our physical health and well-being. However, staying active isn’t always easy for many women in the Rio Grande Valley.
Safety concerns can often make outdoor activities like jogging or walking feel daunting and out of reach, especially during this time of year when the sun goes down by 6 p.m. However, one local walking club is trying to change that reality by creating a supportive space where women can feel safe, forge friendships, and empower one another—all while staying active!
Meet the Walkin’ Gals!
Walkin’ Gals was founded by Cielo Cruz (she/her) in the summer of 2024 with a simple but powerful mission: to create an inclusive and safe space for women in the RGV who want to find new friendships and build community.
“This brings together anyone who’s interested in coming out to walk and get to know new people and coming with that mindset of leaving with at least one new friend. And it really has brought together a community of women,” she said.
After taking a solo road trip to Austin that summer, Cielo found an all-women’s walking club and decided to push herself out of her comfort zone and join. The experience inspired her to start something similar in the RGV. On the surface, the RGV might not seem as walkable as Austin, but Cielo did not let that stop her. She was determined to make sure people from all over the RGV would be able to join the club for at least one walk.
“I’m very passionate about the community here in the Valley, and I try to foster it in different ways,” she said. “The RGV is different cities, and I knew that I wanted to do something to make sure everyone felt included. The more people that are included, the bigger the community is, and you get to meet more people if you go to different places.”
Exploring the RGV, One Walk at a Time
That commitment to inclusivity is reflected in how Walkin’ Gals rotates its walking locations across the region. They host not just in McAllen but also in San Juan and Weslaco, among many others. This allows members to explore new parks and trails and connect with different parts of their community that they might not have visited otherwise.
Joanna Patron (she/her), a California native who recently moved to the RGV, joined the Walkin’ Gals to push herself out of her comfort zone and meet new people in the area. Exploring different places that she didn’t known about has helped her connect more with the RGV.
“I love the concept of us going around the RGV because I get to know more areas and feel more safe around here,” Joanna said.
The club has also helped RGV natives explore parts of the community that they were unfamiliar with. Daniela, a Valley local who moved away for some time and returned to the RGV, explains how Walkin’ Gals has helped her.
“It’s helped me become more active, and walking is always good for your mental health, your physical health and your spiritual health,” said Daniela. “I like that Cielo has shown me all these different parks around the RGV… I didn’t even know this was here!”
Finding Safety and Building Friendships
While Walkin’ Gals helps its members explore new places and build friendships, it also gives them a sense of security. For many women, safety can be a significant barrier to staying active. According to a study by the sports brand ASICS, 43 percent of women reported that a lack of safe spaces and environments stopped them from exercising regularly.
“For women, it can usually be harder to walk alone because there have been many cases, sadly, of women who go walking or running, and they run into complications and are either killed, raped, or assaulted,” said Cielo.
Poorly lit trails, going into unfamiliar areas, or the discomfort of being alone discourage women from walking outside. Walkin’ Gals is actively changing that by ensuring that group walks provide companionship and security.
“We would sometimes have walks that were in the evening, and it would turn into nighttime, and it just kind of helped us reclaim that,” said Daniela. “Generally, as a woman, I wouldn’t go do those things ’cause I felt unsafe, but here I am with a group of women, so there’s safety in numbers.”
By walking together, the women of Walkin’ Gals are not only reclaiming public spaces but also redefining what it means to feel safe and empowered in their own communities. With each step, they’re proving that movement—whether physical or social—is always stronger when done together.
“I saw some friendships form, and that was pretty rewarding,” Cielo said. “It’s always rewarding when someone comes up to me and says, ‘Thank you for doing this.’”
