Introduction
If you were 1) a girl, 2) in Miami and 3) on TikTok in 2022, there’s a big chance that you heard about what was known at the time as “Hot Girl Walk Miami” (since rebranded to “Girls on the Walk Miami” to avoid copyright infringement). Below, Founder Gabriela “Gabi” Ayala shares her experience behind creating one of Miami’s most popular all-girl walking groups.
@azeezahgoodwin 🚶🏾♀️🚶🏼♀️🚶🏽♀️🚶🏻♀️🚶🏿♀️#hotgirlwalk #newfriends ♬ No Bars – City Girls & JT
South Beach ➡️ Brickell
When I initially moved to Miami for a six-month trial period, I lived in a furnished rental unit at Roney Palace (aka 1 Hotel South Beach). It was a dreamy living situation, but being surrounded by vacationers 24/7 made me crave community. When it became time to decide where I wanted to live for real, I shipped my furniture down from NYC to an apartment in Brickell, a community that seemed like a good fit for a young professional unwilling to give up the Manhattan lifestyle (aka going places on foot).
It was the right move at the right time. Many like-minded young people, restless and ready to mingle in the post-Pandemic era, started coalescing around social groups forming in Brickell. Transplants and locals alike were interested in participating in fun, sober daytime activities that defied the party city stereotype so prevalent in Miami at the time.
One of these groups was founded by Gabi. Riffing on the Hot Girl Walk TikTok trend, Gabi created TikToks inviting any and all Miami girls to join her for a group walk on the idyllic setting of Brickell Key. The walks quickly exploded in popularity, drawing in girls from all over the city and even garnering local media coverage.
After attending one of the walks, I was so inspired by Gabi’s drive and passion to make them a positive experience for everyone participating. Gabi was kind enough to share her experience behind the walks. Read below for our interview.
The Interview
1. Hi Gabi! Thank you for your time. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Where are you from? How long did you live in Miami, and where are you now?
A: I’m Gabriela Ayala, originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador, but I grew up in the city of Miami. My connection to Miami has always been strong, having spent the majority of my life there. I left Miami to go to university in Pennsylvania (We Are!) and after graduation I moved to Washington D.C. Right before the pandemic I returned to Miami as it’s honestly the best city. Currently, I live in Wales, UK with my husband.
2: You moved abroad towards the end of 2022 for love, which is really romantic. Tell us a bit about how you and your husband met.
A: Absolutely! Daniel and I met in Miami, so please don’t let anyone tell you can’t find love in Miami. We met on Miami Beach right outside of the W hotel. He was visiting from the U.K. with his friends while I was just relaxing on the beach with my sister and we just happened to connect in a serendipitous moment. After meeting briefly, Daniel then asked if he could come visit me at university and after spending a week together we just knew it was something special.
3: To set the scene for our readers, the year was 2022. TikTok was gaining popularity and starting to target local viewers. The iconic “Hot Girl Walk” was trending. What made you take the leap to organize an IRL meetup in Miami?
A: I posted a TikTok about taking myself on dates because most of my friends were living in other states or abroad. I received overwhelming amounts of encouragement on the comments from other girls in Miami in similar situations. There wasn’t a place out there to make friends as an adult, especially without drinking or going out. Realizing that other girls were in the same situation made me really want to do something!! That fueled my excitement and without hesitation, I decided to turn that into action. I posted a simple TikTok with a date, time, and place for a meetup. And at the first meet up we had about 20 girls show up!
4: The original Hot Girl Walk trend was something that was done solo. What inspired you to make it into a community activity?
A: I had a desire for a sense of community! I really wanted friends who were more into wholesome activities and health and wellness more than going out and partying. I already loved going on my own walks early in the morning around Brickell Key and grabbing a latte or a juice. I just thought to myself this would be so much more fun with a friend.
5: You have a talent for organizing and community work. Did you do anything like this prior to organizing the walks?
A: Thank you! I definitely didn’t have any experience but I did learn more about it, the more walks I hosted. I had been part of other communities such as run clubs and volunteering groups, so I tried to implement all the aspects I liked from being part of those communities and altered what I didn’t like.
6: Part of the appeal for me was the branding. You made really cute graphics for the events. Do you have a background in that or was it just for fun?
A: I’m so happy you liked them! I didn’t have a background in designing graphics but my motivation was to create content for the walks that captured and reflected the vibe and excitement I had for the walks as well as for them to be girly and sporty at the same time.
7: What was it like for you as the walks became more popular? What were some of the high points and some of the low moments?
A: I was genuinely amazed by the consistent turnout of girls for the walks week after week! The biggest highlights for me was witnessing girls not only forming friendships within the walk group but also seeing those connections extend beyond our organized events. We did encounter a few “low” points, like getting kicked out of Brickell Key because our walking group had grown too large. Another time, we were doing yoga in the park, only to be told by Brickell Key police that it wasn’t allowed unless we had a permit. It was a bummer, but these setbacks pushed us to explore other areas around Miami, which led us to walk South Pointe area, which is such a stunning walk with palm trees and beachfront views.
8: As the walks grew in popularity, I know you brought in other women, some of whom now run their own wellness communities in Miami. What was it like transitioning from organizing the walks solo to working with a team?
A: As the saying goes “teamwork makes the dream work.” I was moving away and could no longer host the walks. I wanted the walks to continue so I decided to ask three other girls to host the walks and I am forever grateful they did because they took the walks to another level. They secured partnerships with very cool brands, hosted wellness events, and doubled-to-tripled the walks popularity. It was so much fun to watch it grow and turn into something greater than I could have ever imagined.
9: Do you recall the maximum number of attendees at a walk?
A: At its peak, the number of girls involved was just a little over 150.
10: You ended up moving to the UK to rejoin your husband. I remember we had a really lovely departure picnic for you on the beach. What was it like making that transition from Miami to Wales?
A: The picnic holds a special place in my heart as it marked a beautiful goodbye from Miami. The transition from sunny and tropical Miami to the colder and gloomier weather of Wales, coupled with the slower pace of life has been a bit challenging. However, being with my husband makes it the easiest decision I’ve ever made.
11: You started a walk for Manchester, which is so cool! How has that been? Is the demand similar to that of Miami?
A: Yes!! It was amazing while it lasted! It was rather far from where I lived so it became difficult to host while living an hour away, instead I decided to host the walk club in a smaller town called Chester which is where I now live. It’s been great but it is way smaller than Miami. We have anywhere from 10-15 girls each week but it’s been increasing this new year which is so exciting. It’s been a learning process because social media is used differently here and TikTok is not as widely used as it is in Miami. So, I’ve had to resort to posting on Facebook groups and Instagram to gain visibility.
12: What’s the one most important thing you learned about yourself through this process?
A: The most profound lesson I’ve learned centers around the vital importance of trusting myself. This realization has played such a significant role in shaping the foundation of the walks. It empowered me to approach the creation of the community from a place of authenticity. It showed me that trusting my instincts and staying focused on the values of creating friendships and connection while promoting an active lifestyle, allowed me to attract girls who were open to new friendships and genuinely looking for the same lifestyle.
13: What advice would you give to other women looking to start a grassroots movement the way you did?
A: I advise having a clear understanding of the “why” behind your grassroots movement. Once you have that clarity, everything tends to fall into place and becomes more manageable. My suggestion is not to overthink it—just dive into action, maintain consistency, and you’ll eventually figure it all out as you go along. Take the leap, put yourself out there!
