What the Walk Achieves

In a unique and compelling way, the Walk of the Heroines brings women’s contributions and accomplishments into public view. In keeping with the mission of Portland State University to “let knowledge serve the city,” the Walk will be:

An inspirational place — attracting thousands of Portland residents as well as visitors to experience the emotional impact of so many women honored for their historical and contemporary achievements.

A place of discovery — for visitors reading the biographies of women in the computerized display terminals, finding new meanings of heroism, and deepening their appreciation for the breadth of women’s private and public contributions to society.

An exciting educational place — with people discovering the texts inscribed in the paths and on the benches, encountering the rotating displays in the Educational Kiosk, and experiencing the cultural events and speakers featured on the Walk’s outdoor stage.

A place for public art — as groups gather, discussing the role of women in cultural history and coming to appreciate the range of aesthetic traditions women incorporate into their artwork.

A community-building place — for families and friends visiting the Walk, honoring their heroines from the diverse communities of our society, and experiencing the common threads that weave women’s lives together across the divides of time, place, and culture.

The Walk project also has a considerable educational component. The impact of the Walk will extend well beyond the site itself, including:

A web site — duplicating the material on display in the computer terminals of the Educational Kiosk and making it possible for people from all over the world to read the stories of the heroines honored on the Walk. The web site will include links to many other educational resources on women's achievements in history and contemporary society. Consider the possibilities:

• For a writing project on women’s lives, teens in a Seattle program for street youth draw on the stories of heroines whose courage inspires them.
• A high school science teacher in Bend encourages students to search the biographies of Oregon women scientists honored on the Walk as part of a project on women in science.

A permanent fund — for the Women’s Studies Department, one of the largest and oldest interdisciplinary departments at Portland State University. The fund will support educational events for men and women of all ages in the Portland metropolitan area. Imagine the following programs addressing community needs, free and open to the public:

• A one-day conference brings together employers, policy makers, and working parents to explore innovative research and strategies for resolving issues of work and family.
• Generations of women share their experience and wisdom about how women approach leadership, from the neighborhood to the executive suite, in an annual workshop.

A scholarship program — for promising students majoring in Women’s Studies, a department educating future leaders and preparing students for civic engagement and for taking an active role in public life. Think what scholarships can mean for students of exceptional achievement:

• A woman who has spent many years advocating for the homeless is able to complete her degree and go on to graduate school.
• A young woman from a rural community is the first person in her family to receive a college education.