Latest news
May 7, 2026
The most patriotic thing you can do on the 4th of July?
Talk with one another.
For our nation’s 250th anniversary, perhaps the most patriotic thing We the People can do is come together for conversation and community. It’s an invitation to connect and contribute. If We the People want a more perfect union, we will only get there one step, one conversation, one mile at a time. Join Talk A Mile on the 4th of July as we work to bring together communities for one-mile walks and 1:1 conversations across 50 states. Walk, talk, listen, and learn with friends, neighbors and civic leaders.
May 6, 2026
Why New Police Recruits in Portland Have to Walk a Mile with a Teen – Talk a Mile
(Uncomfy: Sticking with Moments That Challenge Us podcast on BYU Radio) - Can a simple walk help bridge police & community divides? This program thinks it can. One of the requirements for new police recruits in Portland doesn’t happen in an academy classroom. It happens on a track walking a mile with a high school student. In this episode of Uncomfy, we explore “Talk a Mile,” a program bringing police officers and high school students together for a simple but powerful exercise: walking a mile side-by-side while having honest conversations.
October 20, 2025
Justin Fogarty – Co-founder of Talk A Mile, Runner – Improving Communities One Conversation & 1 Mile at a Time
(Pace & Purpose podcast by Kirstyn DeVries) - Justin Fogarty, co-founder of Talk A Mile, discusses his journey from a tech career to founding a nonprofit focused on fostering conversations between students and police trainees. The conversation explores the impact of movement on dialogue, the challenges of scaling a nonprofit, and the importance of curiosity and active listening in education and community building.
July 5, 2025
Justin Fogarty’s Talk A Mile: Building Trust One Conversation at a Time
UC Santa Barbara Alumni Spotlights - Justin Fogarty is the co-founder of Talk A Mile, a program that fosters dialogue between young people and law enforcement to build understanding and community. He earned his B.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies from UC Santa Barbara, where his passion for the environment and diverse perspectives shaped his approach to leadership and civic engagement. Inspired by the 2020 protests, Justin and his family launched Talk A Mile to elevate youth voices and create meaningful conversations around public safety. Since its launch, the program has engaged hundreds of participants and multiple cities, aiming to deepen and widen its impact.
March 21, 2025
Talk a Mile program aims to foster dialogue between community, PPB
PORTLAND, Ore. (The Mossy Log) - Talk a Mile is a Portland-based program created to connect students to law enforcement officers, fostering conversation and encouraging trust between the groups. Due to a national increase in distrust and apprehension toward police, this SE Portland non-profit organization is aimed at opening up new pathways of communication through one-on-one conversations between Black students and community members and the Portland Police Bureau (PPB).
March 7, 2025
Talk A Mile pairs police officers with students to foster connection and community
PORTLAND Ore. (Think Out Loud on OPB) - We joined Dave Miller, host of Think Out Loud, to discuss the impact of Talk A Mile with student participant Elijah Graham and Portland Police Officer participant Danielle Wilson.
September 11, 2024
Talk a Mile Helps Foster Community Connections
PORTLAND Ore. (KATU 2 ABC) - Conversations lead to connections. Connections lead to safer communities. That's the belief behind the local non-profit organization "Talk a Mile". Co-founders Erika and Justin Fogarty joined us along with student leader Paige Pierce to share how they fosters connections between young people of color and members of law enforcement, helping improve communities one conversation at a time.
December 29, 2023
Talk A Mile: An Organization for Conversation
PORTLAND Ore. (The Southeast Examiner) - Talk A Mile is a non-profit organization in SE Portland that strives to create opportunities to foster positive conversations between young Black leaders and Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers and trainees.
November 28, 2023
Non-profit teams up with PPB to connect students of color with officers
PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV FOX 12) - Talk-A-Mile, a non- profit organization, is teaming up with Portland Police Bureau to connect with students of color in the community. The goal is to create empathy and understanding with one another and create a safer environment. In its fifth event, 26 PPB trainees and 26 students from Central Catholic High School had an opportunity to have a conversation while walking a mile at Laurelhurst Park.
November 28, 2023
Students, future PPB officers have ‘tough conversations’ in Laurelhurst Park
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN 6) – Local students and future police officers met at Laurelhurst Park for one-on-one conversations in the fifth “Talk a Mile” since 2022. Justin and Erika Fogarty and their son Liam started the program following the racial justice demonstrations that took place in Portland and across the country in 2020.
October 6, 2023
The Joys of Walking, Together and Solo
(NYT Opinion Letters) - In a letter to the editor, Justin Fogarty reflects on the value of solitary running for deep thinking, while also recognizing the unique connection and insight that comes from occasionally walking or running with others. This balance inspired the creation of Talk A Mile, where one-on-one walking conversations help participants feel seen, heard, and more connected.
