Annual Celebration Archives - WalkMassachusetts

Presenting the 2024 Golden Shoe Awards!

By WalkMassachusetts | March 14, 2024

Our Golden Shoes Awards recognize individuals, agencies, municipalities and companies exemplifying the ideals of WalkMassachusetts’ mission. The winners accept their award during our Annual Celebration on April 10th, which will be in-person starting at 5:30pm (and live streamed starting at 6:30pm) from the Venture Cafe @ 1 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02142. Register here to join us in celebrating & honoring their work!

This year’s Golden Shoe Awards go to…Noemy Rodriguez, First Resource Companies, and The City of Worcester’s Division of Public Health. Congrats to all the winners!

Noemy Rodriguez

Noemy Rodriguez‘s dedication to community engagement and language justice is commendable. Her leadership in the Caminatas initiative has created a space for local community members to address walkability and environmental justice.

We sincerely appreciate Noemy and GreenRoots for their inspiring leadership, which highlights the transformative impact of grassroots organizing in communities. Learn more about Noemy.

First Resource Companies

WalkMassachusetts applauds your efforts to install pedestrian safety measures, especially in Springfield. A new crosswalk and installation of a Rapid Flashing Beacon at the Mason Square Apartments at Indian Motorcycle has provided additional pedestrian safety in the area. Additionally, we acknowledge the positive impact of many of First Resource’s projects on creating walkable community nodes. Your commitment to fostering pedestrian-friendly environments is truly admirable and contributes significantly to the well-being of the community. Read more about First Resource Companies.

The City of Worcester’s Division of Public Health

WalkMassachusetts extends its gratitude to the City of Worcester Division of Public Health leadership team for their dedication to improving the pedestrian experience and fostering an age-friendly Worcester. We will be recognizing Director Soloe Dennis, Sandy Amoakohene, and Ydalia Heimann with this award. We commend Worcester DPH for their commitment to meaningful community engagement and for setting an example for future Walk Audit Academy cohorts. Your efforts have laid the groundwork for the implementation of Vision Zero strategies in Worcester, and we eagerly anticipate collaborating with you to create safer, more equitable, and inclusive streets and neighborhoods for all residents. Learn more about the City of Worcester Division of Public Health and the city’s Vision Zero efforts.

Keynote Speaker

Our 2024 Annual Celebration Keynote Speaker this year is Monica Tibbits-Nutt.

Monica Tibbits-Nutt is the current Secretary and CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). Her responsibilities include overseeing the four divisions of MassDOT, namely Highway, Rail and Transit, Registry of Motor Vehicles, and Aeronautics. She is also a member of the Massport and MBTA Board of Directors. Tibbits-Nutt has extensive experience in transportation planning, urban design, and transit equity. She is committed to educating transportation stakeholders and the public about the planning process and serves as the Vice President of the non-profit Youth Engagement Planning. She is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and is a LEED Accredited Professional in Building Design & Construction with the U.S. Green Building Council. Prior to her appointment as Secretary, she served as Undersecretary of MassDOT and Executive Director of the 128 Business Council. Learn more about Monica.

We hope you’ll join us on Wednesday, April 10th at 5:30pm to celebrate our wonderful honorees!

To read about previous Golden Shoe winners, click here.

DOT Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt to be our keynote speaker April 10

By WalkMassachusetts | March 1, 2024

WalkMassachusetts is excited to welcome our supporters to our 34th Annual Meeting on April 10th at 5:30 pm back to the Venture Cafe (1 Broadway, 5th Floor, Kendall Square / Cambridge). Join us as we honor our Keynote Speaker, Golden Shoe Award winners, and reflect on the past year. Food and drinks will be provided.

This year, our keynote speaker is Monica Tibbits-Nutt! Register today to join us.

Massport Board Monica Tibbits-Nutt Monica Tibbits-Nutt is the current Secretary and CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). Her responsibilities include overseeing the four divisions of MassDOT, namely Highway, Rail and Transit, Registry of Motor Vehicles, and Aeronautics. She is also a member of the Massport and MBTA Board of Directors. Tibbits-Nutt has extensive experience in transportation planning, urban design, and transit equity. She is committed to educating transportation stakeholders and the public about the planning process and serves as the Vice President of the non-profit Youth Engagement Planning. She is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and is a LEED Accredited Professional in Building Design & Construction with the U.S. Green Building Council. Prior to her appointment as Secretary, she served as Undersecretary of MassDOT and Executive Director of the 128 Business Council.

We hope to see you at the Venture Cafe in Cambridge, located at One Broadway, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02142. Register here.

Can’t make it to Cambridge? You can register for the live stream of the formal program for those unable to attend otherwise. Stay tuned for our Golden Shoe Winner announcements coming soon!

Announcing our Keynote Speaker for April 4th: Dr. Karilyn Crockett

By WalkMassachusetts | February 6, 2023

WalkBoston is excited to welcome our supporters to our 33rd Annual Celebration on April 4th at 5:30 pm at the Venture Cafe! This year, we’ll be joined by Dr. Karilyn Crockett as our keynote speaker. Register today to join us.

Dr. Karilyn Crockett’s research focuses on large-scale land use changes in twentieth century American cities and examines the social and geographic implications of structural poverty and racial formations. Karilyn’s book “People before Highways: Boston Activists, Urban Planners, and a New Movement for City Making” (UMASS Press 2018) investigates a 1960s era grassroots movement to halt urban extension of the U.S. interstate highway system and the geographic and political changes in Boston that resulted. In 2019 this book was named one of the “ten best books of the decade” by the Boston Public Library Association of Librarians. Previously Karilyn co-founded Multicultural Youth Tour of What’s Now (MYTOWN), an award winning, Boston-based, educational non-profit organization. MYTOWN hired public high school students to research their local and family histories to produce youth-led walking tours for sale to public audiences. During its nearly 15 years of operation, MYTOWN created jobs for more than 300 low and moderate-income teenagers, who in turn led public walking tours for more than 14,000 visitors and residents. In a White House ceremony, the National Endowment for the Humanities cited MYTOWN as “One of ten best Youth Humanities Programs in America.”

Karilyn holds a PhD from the American Studies program at Yale University, a Master of Science in Geography from the London School of Economics, and a Master of Arts and Religion from Yale Divinity School. Karilyn served for four years with the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development as the Director of Economic Policy & Research and the Director of Small Business Development for the City of Boston. She recently completed her service as the City of Boston’s first Chief of Equity, a Cabinet-level position Mayor Walsh established to embed equity and racial justice into all City planning, operations, and work moving forward. She holds a faculty appointment as professor of urban history, public policy and planning in MIT’s Department of Urban Studies & Planning. She is currently leading the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce in a partnership with the Boston Federal Reserve Bank to revisit the 2015 “Color of Wealth” report on closing the racial wealth gap. Karilyn’s career mission is to continue to work at the nexus of education, economic development policy and urban revitalization.

We hope to see you at the Venture Cafe in Cambridge, located at One Broadway, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02142, for our first in-person annual meeting in three years. Register here.

Join us as we honor our Keynote Speaker, Golden Shoe Award winners, and reflect on the past year. Food and drinks will be provided.

We will also be live streaming the formal program for those unable to attend otherwise. Stay tuned for our Golden Shoe Winner announcements coming soon!

Meet Kyle Robidoux: WalkBoston’s 2022 Annual Celebration Keynote Speaker

By WalkBoston | February 10, 2022

We are pleased to announce that our 2022 Annual Celebration Keynote Speaker this year is Kyle Robidoux!

Kyle is a tireless advocate who has focused his professional and personal career on building community. He has spent 20 years working in the nonprofit sector, including as a housing advocate helping individuals staying in shelters find permanent homes and as a community organizer. Most recently he has directed three programs for a local blindness organization.

Accessibility is a matter of great importance to him, not just as an advocate, but as an individual who was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a degenerative eye disease that first affects your night vision and often leads to complete blindness, at age 11 and was declared legally blind at 19.

Kyle can also personally attest to the power of walking and why access to safe walking environments is crucial. In 2010 Kyle was close to 250 pounds, heading down the path to type II diabetes, and having a hard time playing with his young daughter. He began to walk. Then he began to run. Today he has completed over 25 marathons and ultramarathons, including five Boston Marathons and three 100-mile races.

Kyle now works for the City of Boston as the Assistant Director of Housing Stability for the Mayor’s Office, after a short stint as Chief of Staff for Boston Mayor Kim Janey’s District Council/President’s Office. Prior to working for the city, over the last 15 years Kyle has worked for three mission-driven nonprofits: the Director of Volunteer Services and Community Planning for MAB (Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired), the Director of Community Planning and Leadership Development for Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation, and the Director of Civic Engagement for United South End Settlements. In addition Kyle is an active volunteer, serving as Board Chair for FriendshipWorks and a member of the Commission for People with Disabilities.

Want to hear what Kyle has to say about accessibility and walkability? Join us on Wednesday, March 30 at 5:00pm on Zoom.

Stay tuned for the announcement of our 2022 Golden Shoe Awards winners!

Save the Date: Annual Celebration 3/30, 5pm

By WalkMassachusetts | January 28, 2022

Join us on March 30th (on Zoom) to celebrate & honor this year’s Golden Shoe winners!

Each March, we hold our Annual Celebration to celebrate achievements in walkability and to highlight the contributions of our wonderful volunteers, board members, and the many individuals and corporations who support us every year.

The presentation of our Golden Shoe Awards is an integral part of the Annual Celebration. The Golden Shoes recognize individuals, agencies, municipalities and companies exemplifying the ideals of WalkBoston’s mission.

More info on this year’s honorees and speakers coming soon, but registration is now open!