At mile 1,030 past Harper’s Ferry, known as the psychological halfway point of the AT, my friend Emily picked me up and took me to her parents’ home in Frederick. Emily ordered Thai food to go, and her parents picked up the food and stocked up with some of my favorite snacks and beverages to welcome me. I was touched by their thoughtfulness, and I slept like a baby on a princess bed in her sister’s empty nest, feeling so much love and gratitude.

There are many full circle moments on this journey. Seeing Emily was one of these moments. It’s been almost 10 years since we saw each other the last time. Many life events happen in a span of a decade, and at the same time it felt like no time had passed. It’s a sign of a good friendship- I think. The next morning, Emily dropped me off at the downtown Frederick MARC station, and I took a train to Washington, D.C.

Reconnecting with some of my East Coast friends is part of my AT plan. I rarely come to this side of the country, and I have lots of friends in the D.C. area. I also wanted to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture to honor and commemorate the 100th anniversary of Black History Month and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I named this year’s journey the Great Freedom Loop, with the intention to learn more about the history and enormous effort to attain equal rights for all people in this special year.

I made it to Union Station, and then I took Metro to Kings Street Station. Since I grew up in Tokyo, I feel at home in cities. Getting around with trains and Metro is easy for me, and I don’t usually need any transition time between being immersed in nature and coming to a material world. I enjoyed my urban walk with my backpack on Kings Street, stopping by a French bakery for their fresh croissant and a Mediterranean restaurant for their Falafel Pita sandwiches. Then, finally, I arrived at my good friend Sonia’s apartment in Old Town.

Sonia took care of me so well. She knows me enough that I don’t need to say much about my needs and favorite foods. I stayed with Sonia for 5 days, catching up on life, seeing other friends, resting, and eating.

Today, my last day in D.C., I visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture. “All men are created equal” was drafted mainly by Thomas Jefferson, who owned 609 slaves. Like Jefferson, 12 of the first 18 American presidents owned slaves. The Declaration did not extend “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” to all Americans, undermining the ideal that “all men are created equal.

African Americans, American Indians, and people of color have been upholding our Constitution and fighting for justice from the very beginning of our country. I began to compare the history of the Appalachian Trail and black history. In 1937, the AT was fully connected from Maine to Georgia. In 1948, Earl Shaffer became the first person to thru-hike the entire trail. In 1952, Mildred Norman Ryder became the first woman to thru-hike the AT, two years before Brown v. Board of Education and three years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat, setting off the modern Civil Rights Movement.

All of these events happened during the Great Migration and Jim Crow. Among the people whose liberty and freedom were guaranteed, they could go anywhere they wanted without fear of violence and pursue individual goals and dreams. If you were a person of color, your rights were limited; therefore, no time for anything else but to survive everyday life under threats.

We’ve come so far. In front of the cruel reality, brave stories, and instrumental African Americans who pushed and created changes, I was speechless. I kept thinking, the reason I can be here today is because of these people who worked tirelessly, never gave up the vision of equality, and left a significant impact that I inherit.

The demographic of the thru-hikers mirrors the history of this country. Yes, we’ve come so far, and we still have a long way to go. This visit to the museum helped me understand the contradiction between “the land of the free” and slavery. It reaffirmed my commitment to working toward equal access and opportunities for BIPOC in nature.

As we are nearing the celebration of Juneteenth, I will remember these people. Among these people, I especially admire Harriet Tubman, who walked for freedom from Maryland, crossing Pennsylvania, the land of the free, with nothing, and later became one of the Underground Railroad conductors to help enslaved people escape to the North.

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” – Harriet Tubman

As I resume my hike tomorrow and I will soon enter Pennsylvania, I will keep her words, remembering that I’m following the footsteps of all the brave people who came before me, and I will make sure to do what I can to make it a little easier for those who come after me- another full circle moment to feel grounded with my purpose and responsibility.