Bronzeville native walks from Chicago to the White House
CHICAGO -- Demetrius Nash, 39-year-old Bronzeville native, will be leaving Friday, August 4th to travel from Chicago to Washington D.C., on foot.
Fed up with lack of a proper solution, he wants to bring light to the issue and seriousness of gun violence and how it plagues Chicago and poor neighborhoods throughout the country. He wants more resources and programs for children in the inner city. In order to raise awareness, he is walking to Washington, D.C., where he hopes to meet with the Black Caucus and Illinois Congressmen. He has had only 2 months of training for the walk.
As a bright young man, with parents who fought for his own success, paying for him to go to an expensive boarding school, he was accepted to UIC for academics-still he went down the wrong path. Inspired now because HE was part of the problem in the community, incarcerated at 26 years old (2005) for drug trafficking, spending 8 years in prison and 4 years on probation. After reading Nelson Mandela's book, "A Long Walk To Freedom," in prison he knew he wanted to make a change in the community.
Recently, he's become a protester and an activist in the community. He started an initiative called "Replace Guns with Hammers," providing work training for young men in at-risk situations, to pursue a trade of their own, get off the streets and build lifelong relationships with mentors.
He plans to walk 10 hours a day and hopes to arrive at his destination is about 22 days.
He hopes to raise $15,000 for his journey on his GoFundMe page. Viewers at home can help by donating to his page, while he is also in need of resources and connections throughout his journey.
Fleet Feet Sports helped prepare Demetrius for his journey, providing him with custom shoes, Superfeet Insoles, a Nathan Peak Insulated Hydration Pack, Balega socks, AND a Body Glide!
Custom Shoe Fitting - Fleet Feet Sports will provide a custom shoe fitting that includes detailed gait analysis along with several detailed measurements of the feet. The process includes a diagnostic of how your body works in motion that determines the proper shoe size, the right level of stability and the best match for foot shape.
Superfeet Insoles - Super Feet insoles provide best in class comfort and structure to support the foot from inside the shoe. By properly positioning the foot, the Super Feet insoles maximize the body's ability to absorb shock. It takes an already great experience and elevates it to new heights.
Nathan Peak Insulated Hydration Pack - Hydration Pack - designed to keep fluids colder, longer, the Peak combines an insulated 18oz bottle with a comfortable ergonomic designed pack that is reflective for low light conditions and also has smart storage pocket for valuables including a phone.
Balega Socks - Balega provides harmony in the fit, feel and performance. Each sock is founded on research, design, technical excellence and durability. You will not find a more comfortable sock that is also the most technically advance of any on the market.
Body Glide - Body Glide is an Anti-Blister, Anti-Chafing Balm that forms an invisible barrier that guards against the rubbing that causes blisters and chafing. It's a multi-use daily solution for preventing skin irritation from chafing, ideal for everybody.
Fleet Feet Sports - Chicago wanted to help us start Demetrius out on the right foot so before he left Chicago he went to Fleet Feet to get a sneak peek at the store's new high-tech 3D Fit ID process which launches to the public this fall. Here's a short video highlighting the custom shoe fitting services. Fleet Feet's proprietary computerized Fit ID process took 15 different measurements of Demetrius' feet (from the length of his foot to the height of his arches and the distance between the heel and the ball of his feet, for example) to ensure that he wound up in the perfect shoe for his long journey. No matter how many miles you plan to walk or run, Fleet Feet Sports' approach is based on you and your goals and selecting the right gear for you.
