Hawk Walks in Seattle!
A partnership with Talk A Mile, the Seahawks and the Seattle community.
Hawk Walks are monthly community walks bringing together youth, city leaders, educators, nonprofit leaders, public safety officials and members of the Seattle Seahawks for honest conversations around mental health, community building, public safety and social justice.
Launched in May 2026 in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Hawk Walk’s are Talk A Mile’s newest program in Seattle — a year-round, monthly community walk talking place across the city at various locations including the Meredith Mathews East Madison YMCA, West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA, and South Park Community Center. The program engages youth from across King County and brings them together with city leaders, public safety officials, and community mentors.
The concept is simple and powerful: Walk. Talk. Listen. Learn.
Participants are paired one-on-one to walk side-by-side, building trust and community connection through honest, structured conversation.
In June, conversations turned toward gun violence prevention and public safety in honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Month. Monthly conversations continue through summer and fall focusing on civic engagement, elevating youth voices and sharing perspectives in order to break down barriers within the Seattle community.
Our monthly Hawk Walk programming is built on collaboration. Five core partners make it possible:
Seattle Seahawks (Community Engagement Team) – bringing players like former offensive tackle Ray Roberts, the Seahawks Dancers, and Seahawks-branded conversation tools and giveaways like Seahawks sunglasses.
YMCA of Greater Seattle / West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA – hosting the walks and connecting youth from across King County.
The City of Seattle – supporting the program’s civic engagement and youth leadership goals.
Seattle Police Bureau – walking alongside youth for one-on-one dialogue, building relationships outside of traditional enforcement contexts.
Duwamish Valley Youth Corps – centering youth from the Duwamish Valley and South Seattle in leadership and stewardship.
Each Hawk Walk begins with Talk A Mile’s signature conversation cards. Prompts from the photos include: “What is the story of your name?”, “If the next 5 years is a chapter in your life, what is this chapter about?” and “Can you think of a contribution that would make a positive impact on our community?” Participants receive a card, pair up, and walk.
After the walk, groups gather for reflection activities, resource sharing, and community circle-ups. You’ll see participants in Mental Health Matters shirts, Hawk Walk signage, and shared moments captured during the walk.
The program has quickly grown momentum since its launch:
May 2026 – Session 1: Inaugural Hawk Walk launched for Mental Health Awareness Month at West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA.
June 2026 – Session 2: Second community walk, expanding youth participation across King County.
July 2026 – Session 3: Special walk featuring Ray Roberts, Seahawks Dancers, and guided reflection exercises with youth from West Seattle.
August 2026 – Session 4: Latest walk with one-on-one youth-officer pairings, community leaders, and West Seattle youth.
Sessions 4 and 5 take place this fall at the South Park Community Center in partnership with Duwamish Valley Youth Corps.
By creating consistent, low-pressure space for youth, community leaders, mental health professionals and public safety officials to walk and talk as equals, the Hawk Walk program builds trust, reduces stigma around mental health conversations, and opens dialogue around how youth can engage more in community matters.
It’s a necessary monthly practice of community care and conversation.
