On a crisp Wednesday evening, a group of Prince George’s County residents gathered near the Rhode Island Trolley Trail in Hyattsville.
They embarked on a journey along the green path, weaving through the trees and houses along the edge of the trail. Some walked, while others ran.
The journey was part of a new initiative started by Carol and Jesse Holland. The married couple has hosted “Wednesday Weekly Walks” since July to create a way for their neighbors to walk in comfort and safety.
“We’re able to start building a community right here in this area of people who want to walk, want to jog, want to run, and we’re beginning to recognize each other, and we’re beginning to help each other,” Jesse said.
The walks have also helped advertise Haraka Run and Walk — a running-specialty store that the couple soon plans to open in the upcoming months. The store will be the first running-specialty store in the county, Jesse said.
Haraka means “speed” or “quick” in Swahili, and the store is “a celebration of Black excellence in motion,” according to the store’s website.
Carol, who grew up in Prince George’s County, ran track in high school and college. Once she returned from the military, Carol realized there was no place to service the sport in the county. That inspired her to open this store.
“One of the founding pillars of our mission is to serve the community, so we listen to what the community is telling us, and we’re trying to be in support of it,” Carol said.
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Prince George’s County resident Davon Nasir, who has joined the weekly walks in the summer, said they are helping her in her training for a half marathon. The walks create a community where you meet new people who are interested in doing the same things, she added.
Nasir used to live in Northern Virginia, where running clubs and run-supply stores were more accessible. But despite living in Prince George’s County for a decade, she usually has to go outside of the area to get her athletic supplies.
“Having a store like this is beneficial where I won’t have to go all the way to Northern Virginia to get the same things,” Nasir said.
Carol and Jesse aim to address health issues affecting county residents, including higher risks of cardiovascular health abnormalities, high blood pressure and diabetes.
“One of our primary missions is improving and closing that health disparity gap we have in the county,” Carol said. “Also, we’re about community, so we’re going to be listening to the needs of our walkers and runners.”
Haraka is going to do more than just provide running necessities, according to Carol and Jesse. On top of the weekly walks, Jesse said the store will have a designated area for clinics that will teach community members about various topics, including health, safety and movement.
“We’re not going to just be having the walks or just be trying to sell people things,” Jesse said. “Our mission is also education.”
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The assistant general manager of the store, Austin Brown, described working at Haraka as a “dream scenario” because he has run track since he was about 8 years old all the way through college. The University of Maryland alumnus added the sport opened up a lot of opportunities for him.
Brown said the Haraka community walks give community members a space to gather, especially when so many things are online and it’s harder for people to see one another in person.
“With this event, it kind of gives people that space to see one another and get to know people in the community,” Brown said. “Also just building a community around wellness and giving people a place where they can learn about how they can take better care of themselves and just improve their overall quality of life.”
