KSM faculty rallied together with the peer mediation team on Oct. 28 to support domestic violence prevention. Male peer mediation students as well as male teachers got in touch with their feminine side and limped, tottered and flopped around the quad in women’s high heels as part of a stunt to “walk a mile in her shoes.”

The Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event is marking its tenth anniversary this year. In 2001, founder Frank Baird organized the first walk in Northridge, Calif. Today, the event’s goal is “to take a stand against sexualized violence,” according to their Web site.

The school’s peer mediation team adapted the event to become Walk Around the Quad in Her Shoes. Male students and teachers circled the sidewalk accompanied by female peer mediators and staff spotting them so they wouldn’t fall and cheering them on.

Peer mediators kicked off the day by holding anti-violence signs outside school on Haleakala Hwy. to raise awareness among the passing public before school started. Students paused to read signs and posters with statistics about sexual violence against women, which were also posted around campus throughout the day.

Senior Jordan Nauka strapped on his heels and joined in on Friday. “It’s nice to see the girls smiling and laughing at us men trying to be ‘in their shoes,'” he said.

Many of the guys struggled as they tried their best to strut their stilettos, but some looked like they had gotten some practice in beforehand. Kumu Lokahi Antonio was even seen running (check it out on our video)!

“It was fun, but I think I like slippers better,” Nauka said.

Nazareth Thibodeaux was one of the first males to make it to the finish line, and Vice Principal Leo Delatori rounded everything up coming in last at the end of the walk.

Though the men and boys approached the walk good-naturedly, Nauka said that the experience also served another purpose, to teach guys a valuable lesson: “Girls have it harder than guys,” he said.