A short film I created for Oregon's premier walking advocacy organization, unveiling a new name and a bold new vision - from script and messaging to direction, videography and editorial.

"We need to change what it means to walk in our towns and cities,” says Executive Director Stephanie Routh. "And that expanded mission, we realized, required a new name to drive it. And just think of what such a simple thing as walking to work or the store can get us if more people do it. The more people walk, the healthier our population becomes. The cost we all bear in treating epidemics – from traffic crashes to diabetes – gets lower. Our air gets cleaner, we make a real impact on climate change, and our nation gets less dependent on fossil fuels and all the expensive problems they create. And best of all, we achieve stronger, more vibrant communities because people are actually living in them as opposed to whizzing through them.”

Transcript:

Since when did getting there get so… out of balance?

What if there were a better way? One that didn't take filling a tank or emptying a wallet? One that kept our bodies and minds healthier? Kept our communities wealthier. Our air cleaner, our lives richer?

And what if the answer was as simple as… walking? After all, it brought us our first victory.

It took us to our greatest victories.

It lets us connect with the people we love.

It helps us connect. Period.

Yeah, pretty simple. You might say it's a walk in the park. Or to work, the store, to a show - any time you don't want to miss... life.

But we’ve been driven to a crossroads. Walking is a last resort. It's what we do when we can’t get there any other way. We only walk where they let us. We only walk where it's safe. And so… we don't walk.

But “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Deep within us, we want to roam. To explore. To taste the fresh air every day, to feel the sun on our skin. To rise up… And walk.

It’s not about slowing down. It’s about living more. It’s about everyone living more. The future’s afoot. Just think where we can go. If we walk. If

Oregon Walks.