March 24, 2023 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

4th Annual Santa Monica Sidewalk Talk

By Keldine Hull

Head out to the sidewalk this evening and walk to talk.

Sidewalk Talk is a global listening movement dedicated to providing the public with safe opportunities to be heard. Four years ago, Sidewalk Talk Director and Founder Traci Ruble was inspired to take to the streets and simply listen. Ruble explained, “I’m a psychotherapist, and I work full time as a psychotherapist. A couple things really motivated me to want to put my chair on a sidewalk. One was sort of the hatred and violence going in our society. And two, it seemed like people were struggling. I wasn’t going out there to say, ‘Hey, you’re broken, and I’ve got all the answers.’ It was more saying, ‘What’s going in our society today that we are aggressive and mean?’ People are shooting each other, and we’re being non- inclusive to people that are different from us. There’s so much inequity.”

In May 2015, Ruble along with 27 other volunteers sat out on San Francisco sidewalks in 13 different locations, catching the attention of several press outlets in the process. Ruble continued, “NPR actually mic’d me while I was listening, and one of our talkers was willing to be mic’d. On the air, he publicly came out as being somebody with Acute Bipolar 1 Disorder. He wanted to say, ‘Look, people struggle with stuff that you don’t even know.’ He looked like a regular tech worker; you would never know.”

Following the listening event, several organizations throughout the country expressed interest in doing something similar in their cities. Ruble continued, “Over time, it’s grown to over 50 cities in 12 countries now. And there are 6,000 of us that do this.” Ruble added, “What we’re actually trying to do is generously say, ‘I’m here to hear you,’ with whatever it is going on for you. It could be I just fell in love, or it could be I’m really depressed. What we know fundamentally is that we as a society don’t connect with each other anymore, yet it’s a biological drive that we have as people.”

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Sidewalk Talk will be holding its 4th annual listening event today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Co-sponsored by SimplePractice, 60 volunteers will be stationed in several locations throughout Santa Monica including the Pico Branch Library, Espresso Cielo, Metro- Transit Hub, Philz Coffee, Santa Monica City Hall, Santa Monica Pier, WeWork by AMC, St. John’s Hospital, UCLA Health. Their sole purpose is to listen to anyone who needs to be heard and amplify the mental health of the community around them.

Ruble added, “It’s the disruptive element of being out there on the sidewalk that wakes people up to our need for connection. It also gives people walking by, who maybe didn’t have the courage to sit down, to at least have the courage to talk to somebody later because they watch so many other people being courageous. We’re planting that seed. Look at how many people sit down and talk to other people about what’s going on with them. You can do it too.”

To learn more, including a full list of locations and chapters, visit: www.sidewalk-talk.org

Related Posts

California Appeals Court Rules Uber and Lyft Can Classify Drivers as Independent Contractors

March 24, 2023

March 24, 2023

Proposition 22 exempted ride-share companies from certain labor laws, court rules in favor of the companies By Sam Catanzaro ​​A...

Film Review – Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre

March 24, 2023

March 24, 2023

FILM REVIEWOPERATION FORTUNE: Ruse de GuerreRated R114 MinutesReleased March 3rd Now that the season of weighty Oscar contender films is...

Santa Monica Uses Innovative Water Recycling Facility to Capture and Store Rainwater

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

City’s Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project reducing reliance on imported water and sets a model for future projects Santa Monica has...

Shuttered Santa Monica Loews Hotel to Rebrand and Reopen as a Regent Hotel

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Hotel’s new operator announces plans for $4 million renovation, including rebranding and upgrading accessibility for guests with disabilities By Dolores...

Three Arrested for Identity Theft, Possession of Stolen Property, and Grand Theft in Santa Monica

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Suspects found with over 20 stolen cellphones, credit cards, and identification Three individuals were arrested in Santa Monica for identity...

Proposal for Improved Communication With Street Vendors Sparks Contentious Debate in City Council Meeting

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Councilmembers divided over proposal calling for City Manager to engage in meaningful consultation with authorized vendors regarding sidewalk vending policies...

Former Bank Building in Santa Monica Becomes a Food Destination with Addition of Katsu Bar

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Katsu Bar joins Paderia and Oakberry in the transformation of the 3032 Wilshire building By Dolores Quintana Katsu Bar has...

Survey: Should Officials Remove Barriers to Outdoor Dining?

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the way we live our lives, and one of the most significant impacts has been...

Gasolina Cafe Owner, Sandra Cordero, to Open New Tapas Bar in Santa Monica

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Tapas bar expected to open late spring in former Heroic Italian space at 516 Santa Monica Boulevard  Sandra Cordero, the...

California’s AB 1217 Could Supersede Costly Outdoor Dining Permits Proposed by Municipalities

March 22, 2023

March 22, 2023

Legislation would preempt local ordinances and preserve regulatory flexibility for struggling neighborhood restaurants By Sam Catanzaro A new bill proposed...

Emerging Artist Jesse Liu Opens First-Ever Exhibition in Venice Gallery

March 22, 2023

March 22, 2023

“Spring Fever” currently on display at Yiwei Gallery By Keemia Zhang Local artist Jesse Liu has opened her first solo...

Santa Monica Place Invites LGBTQIA+ Artisans to Apply for Made With PRIDE Marketplace

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Partnering with Streetlet, the marketplace will take place each weekend in June and showcase local goods made in Southern California....

Santa Monica Councilmember Phil Brock Appointed to National League of Cities Council on Youth, Education, and Families

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Brock to collaborate with group of local leaders to develop and guide programs for communities across the country Santa Monica...

Santa Monica Receives $70,000 Donation From Kiwanis Charities for Scoreboards in Two Parks

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Donation will fund the installation of new scoreboards at Historic Belmar Park and Los Amigos Park The Santa Monica City...

Should Santa Monica Close the Airport?

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Santa Monica City Council recently voted to begin the process of closing Santa Monica Municipal Airport. The decision was kick-started...