{"id":3668,"date":"2026-06-13T22:58:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T22:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/?p=3668"},"modified":"2026-06-14T11:58:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T11:58:45","slug":"6-13-2026-washington-d-c-side-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/6-13-2026-washington-d-c-side-trip\/","title":{"rendered":"6\/13\/2026: Washington, D.C. (Side trip!)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At mile 1,030 past Harper\u2019s Ferry, known as the psychological halfway point of the AT, my friend Emily picked me up and took me to her parents&#8217; 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&#8217;s empty nest, feeling so much love and gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are many full circle moments on this journey. Seeing Emily was one of these moments. It&#8217;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&#8217;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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4658.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3677\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4658.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4658.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4658.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4658.jpeg?resize=1170%2C1560&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4658.jpeg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thank you, Emily!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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 <a href=\"https:\/\/nmaahc.si.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Museum of African American History and Culture<\/a> to honor and commemorate the 100th anniversary of Black History Month and the 250th&nbsp;anniversary of the signing of the&nbsp;Declaration of Independence. I named this year&#8217;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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"767\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4582.jpeg?resize=1024%2C767&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3692\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4582.jpeg?resize=1024%2C767&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4582.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4582.jpeg?resize=768%2C575&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4582.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1150&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4582.jpeg?resize=1170%2C876&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4582.jpeg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Riding Metro reminds me of Tokyo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4585.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3687\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4585.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4585.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4585.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4585.jpeg?resize=1170%2C1560&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4585.jpeg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Urban walk in urban nature<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4583.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3689\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4583.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4583.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4583.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4583.jpeg?resize=1170%2C1560&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4583.jpeg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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&#8217;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&#8217;s apartment in Old Town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sonia took care of me so well. She knows me enough that I don&#8217;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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4595.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3688\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4595.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4595.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4595.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4595.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4595.jpeg?resize=1170%2C878&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4595.jpeg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sonia made me my own pan of Paella! So delicious. Thank you, Sonia!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, my last day in D.C., I visited the <a href=\"https:\/\/nmaahc.si.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Museum of African American History and Culture<\/a>. &#8220;All men are created equal&#8221; 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 &#8220;Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness&#8221; to all Americans, undermining the ideal that &#8220;all men are created equal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4602.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4602.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4602.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4602.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4602.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4602.jpeg?resize=1170%2C878&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4602.jpeg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The museum walks you through the entire journey of African Americans <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4624.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3681\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4624.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4624.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4624.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4624.jpeg?resize=1170%2C1560&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4624.jpeg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Today, I carry less than a 25 lb backpack for leisure<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"663\" height=\"943\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4635.jpeg?resize=663%2C943&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3699\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4635.jpeg?w=663&amp;ssl=1 663w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4635.jpeg?resize=211%2C300&amp;ssl=1 211w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 663px) 100vw, 663px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To learn more about the AT history, visit https:\/\/appalachiantrail.org\/about\/atc-history\/<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4640.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3676\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4640.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4640.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4640.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4640.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4640.jpeg?resize=1170%2C878&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4640.jpeg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">On May 17, 1954, Chief Justice Earl Warren issued a unanimous decision that racial segregation is unconstitutional, violating the 14th Amendment&#8217;s equal protection clause. On the Steps of the Supreme Court Nettie Hunt explains the significance of the Brown v. Board of Education decision for her daughter Nickie and other black children.<br>\u00a9Bettmann\/CORBIS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4634.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3678\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4634.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4634.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4634.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4634.jpeg?resize=1170%2C1560&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4634.jpeg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In 1955, when Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat, she set off a chain reaction in Montgomery, Alabama, that fueled the modern Civil Rights Movement. Her arrest sparked a bus boycott that lasted 381 days. Press coverage made the boycott and the issue of segregation national stories. The struggle in Montgomery also won national and international respect for Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., the spokesperson for the boycotters.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4647-1.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4647-1.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4647-1.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4647-1.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4647-1.jpeg?resize=1170%2C1560&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4647-1.jpeg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Under Jim Crow, our public spaces, including public lands, weren&#8217;t fully accessible for BIPOC. We see its impact today if you pay attention to the demographics of people on the AT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4630.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4630.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4630.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4630.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4630.jpeg?resize=1170%2C1560&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4630.jpeg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We&#8217;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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The demographic of the thru-hikers mirrors the history of this country. Yes, we&#8217;ve come so far, and we still have a long way to go. This visit to the museum helped me understand the contradiction between &#8220;the land of the free&#8221; and slavery. It reaffirmed my commitment to working toward equal access and opportunities for BIPOC in nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4625.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4625.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4625.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4625.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4625.jpeg?resize=1170%2C1560&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_4625.jpeg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Known as a slight and delicate girl, Araminta Ross grew up to change her name and become Harriet Tubman (ca. 1822-1913), one of the nation&#8217;s most courageous antislavery activists. As a young woman, Tubman ran for freedom, making her way up Maryland&#8217;s Eastern Shore to Philadelphia. She returned nine times to guide others&nbsp;to freedom. Over her lifetime, she helped free hundreds of enslaved people.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cEvery 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.\u201d<\/em> &#8211; Harriet Tubman<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As I resume my hike tomorrow and I will soon enter Pennsylvania, I will keep her words, remembering that I&#8217;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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At mile 1,030 past Harper\u2019s Ferry, known as the psychological halfway point of the AT, my friend Emily picked me up and took me to her parents&#8217; home in Frederick. 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