Chicago women embrace ‘Hot Girl Walk’ trend to build confidence, community

The second day of spring was marked by a profusion of pink in Chinatown’s Ping Tom Memorial Park.

The walkways were dotted not with flowers but about 100 women of all ages in rosy hoodies, hats, sneakers, socks and bandanas on Saturday morning. One pushed a baby in a stroller, another walked a small dog, and a couple others brought along male companions. Following a group chant — “Gratitude! Goals! Confidence!” — they traversed a two-mile loop around the park.

The occasion was the Hot Girl Walk, a women’s fitness and empowerment trend made famous on TikTok by Los Angeles-based influencer Mia Lind. Since she began documenting her daily walks in 2020, her videos have garnered millions of views and inspired free monthly meetups in more than 30 cities internationally. On Saturday alone, there were simultaneous Hot Girl Walks in New York City, Dallas, Houston, Portland, Charlotte and Bentonville. The next Chicago event will take place again at Ping Tom Memorial Park on April 11 at 9:30 a.m.

Participants can even download an official “Hot Girl Walk” playlist on Spotify.

Despite the name, the event is not about meeting a certain beauty standard, but being thankful, determined and self-assured. From graduating college to beating breast cancer, the Chicago attendees expressed pride in achievements that had nothing to do with their appearance.

“Being a hot girl is not always about a look or a certain type of attitude,” said Kelsey Roundtree, 31, of Englewood, who is studying business management at Rasmussen University. “It’s just being the best you can be.”

That was precisely Lind’s vision for what she calls a global cultural movement. She started her walks in part to improve her physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic. But she was also interested in combating negative self-talk and building community with other women.

People may have preconceived notions about the term “hot girl,” but “once they get in, they start to realize that there’s something so much deeper,” said Lind, 27, who also has written a “Hot Girl Walk” self-help book.

“Being small is not the most important thing a woman can be. The most important thing a woman can be is grateful and hard-working, with big goals and dreams. It's really all about confidence.”

While TikTok has been a key driver of Lind’s success, several attendees at the Chicago walk said they heard about it on Instagram. Local organizer, Elyna Gonzalez-Vargas, 22, of Douglas, said she chose Ping Tom Memorial Park because it is modest-sized and walkable. She also said she wanted to support a diverse neighborhood.

Participants from other states included Amaya Tapia, 24, of Indiana, who said she wanted to be active and be part of an “all-girl community.” She also invited her mother and 17-year-old sister, Xochilt Flores, to tag along.

“At first I didn’t want to wake up too early and drive all the way over here, but I decided to come because it's going to be an experience that stays with me,” said Flores, who shared that her goal is to become a veterinarian after she graduates high school.

Among the older attendees was Tabitha Nash, of the Near West Side, who was invited by a friend, who ultimately couldn't participate.

“I told her I’m still going to come and be a hot girl at the age of 60,” she said.

Nash said she was celebrating being in remission from breast cancer for eight years and getting her license to become a clinical social worker. She hopes to advocate for both cancer survivors and her clients because she can relate to their hardships.

“I had setbacks in my life, so that made me a better person,” she said. “That made me stronger.”

Multiple people said they were grateful simply for mobility.

"I have friends that are in situations where they can't even walk for a long time, or they don't have the drive," said Aalea Howell, 31, who drove to the event from Grand Rapids, Mich. "So I'm grateful that I'm in a good headspace to want to move my body."

Lind said she hopes women continue the Hot Girl Walk movement beyond the meetups.

"If we're only bringing this positivity to the world at our events, then we're not doing our jobs," she said. "We want to carry that momentum of women supporting women, whether that means giving a girl a compliment on her shoes as she's walking by, or giving your barista an extra tip."