Upper School Students Walk Against Poverty
October 30, 2026
As Peter Matthews ’91 made his way through the first day of VillageWalk, Seven Hills students welcomed him with a tunnel of high-fives before joining him on his journey. The African American studies class and several freshmen walked alongside the alum as he began a five-day, 46-mile interfaith pilgrimage to raise awareness of childhood poverty, the experiences of unhoused children, and the organizations supporting vulnerable children and families across the region.
The first day of VillageWalk, which was organized by Global Village 513, the Cincinnati branch of The Equity Center, covered 6.5 miles. Students walked with Matthews from HER Cincinnati to Every Child Succeeds, where President and CEO Jennifer Frey ’99 met with students to talk about the organization and its goal to optimize child health and development for families from low-income backgrounds in Clermont and Hamilton counties in Ohio as well as Boone, Campbell, Grant, and Kenton counties in Northern Kentucky.
The experience gave students the chance to support a community initiative while reflecting on the challenges facing children and families in the Cincinnati region.
Racheal Quinn, director of diversity, equity & inclusion, reflected on the significance of students joining Matthews on the walk.
“For our African American studies students, walking alongside Mr. Matthews also offered a meaningful connection to the long history of walking as a tool for protest, solidarity, and bringing attention to injustice. By joining him in Cincinnati, they showed their support for his advocacy and reflected on how collective action can help make inequities harder to ignore,” Quinn said.
Matthews founded The Equity Center in 2017. Through education, workforce development, mutual aid, and other initiatives, the organization serves thousands of community members. VillageWalk took place Monday, Oct. 19, through Friday, Oct. 23, with more than two dozen stops across Hamilton and Butler counties. The route included houses of worship and organizations serving children and families in communities such as Mt. Auburn, Clifton, Avondale, Reading, Lockland, Woodlawn, Lincoln Heights, and Springdale.
Laura Leonard, Assistant Head of School, also joined the group of students for the walk, and Matt Bolton, Head of School, met up with Matthews on his journey later in the week, demonstrating the school’s support for his work.
For students, participating in VillageWalk offered a glimpse of the difference they, too, can make in their community, following the examples Matthews and Frey have set.
