Heels 2 Heal: Participants walk a mile in St. George for Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Written by Bridger Palmer
April 24, 2024

ST. GEORGE— While walking a mile in heels during KAVA Talks’ Heels 2 Heal event wasn’t exactly comfortable, those who strutted the distance said it was a small price to pay to raise awareness of sexual assault.

Award winners take center stage after walking a mile in “her shoes,” St. George, Utah, April 20, 2024 | Photo courtesy of Lulu Wolfgramm, St. George News

A few dozen participants walked a mile in “her shoes” for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Saturday’s participants hoped to show solidarity with those who have been assaulted before.

Pacific Islander men lead KAVA Talks and engage men of all ages in educational programs aimed at preventing violence.

“The founder’s goal was to teach our community about knowledge above violence always, or KAVA,” event organizer Lulu Woflgramm told St. George News. “Our intent is that if anything has to do with violence prevention, then we’re going to get engaged.”

The organization has chapters in Salt Lake City and St. George and is actively involved in community outreach and education about non-violence. This is the fifth annual walk and the first year Utah Tech University has hosted the event in St. George.

Hakela Ogden, a Pasifika Student Union executive at Utah Tech, expressed her appreciation for KAVA’s partnership with the university.

These studded heels were on special display at Heels 2 Heal, St. George, Utah, April 20, 2024 | Photo by Bridger Palmer, St. George News

“The event being held here helps people find their community,” Ogden said. “We have a lot of students that come from Tonga, or come from American Samoa are just dropped into the middle of the desert in Utah for university. It’s been really nice to see those students find their community.”

Stationed at the entryway of the event was an exhibit called “What Were You Wearing?” Inside the tent, modest outfits were displayed alongside descriptions showing that a victim’s attire was irrelevant to their assault.

Utah exhibits a higher rate of sexual assault compared to the national average. Wolfgramm said they often go unrecognized.

“Our goal is to create awareness,” she said. “So many women have been sexually assaulted. We want to give them a voice.”

At the end of the event was a ceremony where those who walked were presented with awards before the crowd. Rachel Marie, program director of Angel’s Landing Foundation, took the mic for a speech where she talked about sexual assault and even touched on her own experience.

Many organizations were present to show their support and offer help to any of those in need:

  • Dove Center
  • Family Healthcare
  • Health Choice
  • Washington County Children’s Justice Center
  • Encircle
  • Pasifika Student Union
  • Southwest Forensic Nursing & Healthcare
  • Angels Landing
  • Pik2Ar Pacific Island Knowledge 2 Action Resources
  • Fire and Ice Boba

Participants had the option to bring their own heels or walk in someone else’s shoes provided by event organizers. Supported by more than one dozen volunteers from St. George and Salt Lake City, the event was free and open to the public.

Photo Gallery

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bridger Palmer was born in St. George, Utah, before being raised in the Inland Empire in Southern California. He was inspired to pursue journalism because he was an avid reader of Bill Simmons’ sports and popular culture blog, Grantland. Palmer wrote a screenplay in 2020 and launched his own website, newgrantland.com, shortly thereafter. He worked his way from proofreader to editorial assistant at a weekly newspaper in Redlands, California. He returned to Southern Utah in late 2023.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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