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Meredith Taylor Kennedy

@meredithkennedy

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Mom, hiker, runner, theme park enthusiast. Director of the Innocence Network @innocenceproject and board member @barrowmansionjc

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She climbed Mount Kilimanjaro at 19,000+ feet and came back running faster. Meredith breaks down training, altitude, gear, and summit night. Listen now then tell us: would you ever try a climb like this?

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We had to jump on this one😁
Ladies from @whoatravel

@meredithkennedy
@melanien826
@mgordon312
@pug.879
@loreenshoo
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#massawe #mtkilimanjaro #ladies #conquer #love

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This group of people was brought together in the Netherlands from 20 countries around the world to work on wrongful convictions and solutions to this global problem. How powerful.

Representatives from the United Nations participated in these conversations as part of a broader effort to examine wrongful convictions through a global human rights lens. This movement has the potential to have a profound impact on how nations address, prevent, and remedy wrongful convictions in the future.

For years, advocates, exonerees, researchers, and attorneys have worked to bring attention to these issues. To now see international institutions engaging in this conversation feels like an important step forward.

The people gathered here have traveled from Taiwan, Australia, Argentina, South Africa, Canada, United States, Germany, Poland, Spain, and many other countries, united by a common goal: creating systems that are more accurate, more accountable, and more just. ⚖️

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Got to spend time with some truly incredible people this week in the Netherlands, people who share the same passion, urgency, and commitment to fighting wrongful convictions - there’s a common fire that brings us together.

Here with two people I deeply admire: Meredith Kennedy, Director of the Innocence Network, and Justin Brooks, Founder and Director of the California Innocence Project, professor at the University of San Diego School of Law, author of You Might Go to Prison Even Though You’re Innocent, and co-producer of the movie Brian Banks.

Between the conference sessions, film screenings, and countless conversations, I found myself constantly inspired by the people in this room and the work they’re doing around the world.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the problems we face in the wrongful conviction space. But spending time with people like Meredith and Justin reminds me just how many brilliant, dedicated individuals are working every day to create a more just system.

What a privilege to learn from them, laugh with them, and share this experience together in a country as beautiful as the Netherlands. 🇳🇱❤️

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The Lost Coast left us in awe. ✨

It wasn’t just the rugged beauty that was awe-inspiring, but the women we shared it with.

Fifteen women, countless miles, endless conversations, laughter till we cried, unwavering support, and one shared goal.

Somewhere between the crashing waves of the Northern California coastline and the rolling bluffs, we found connection, encouragement, and friendship.

The beauty of the Lost Coast was undeniable, but the beauty of this group was even greater.

Thank you to everyone who made this experience so special.

Thank you California for being the perfect place to form these lasting memories.

#LostCoast #Backpacking #Hiking #WomenWhoHike #CaliforniaCoast

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Lady Bird Johnson said it perfectly:
“The environment, after all, is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest. It is one thing that all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.”

for 13 years I have understood the power of women coming together in outdoor spaces, after all, it’s what inspired us (Danielle and I) to found @whoatravel and every time I gather with a new group & we push our ourselves past our comfort zones I keep thinking it can’t possibly get better than this, but somehow it does.

I have many warm feelings about the past week spent under the stars with this amazing group of Lost Coasters, but I think the feeling that stands out the most is gratitude. Gratitude to the people who show up for WHOA adventures and say yes to big things, gratitude to Mother Earth for the ability to experience her immense beauty, gratitude to my body for allowing my 6 month postpartum self to backpack the tough terrain of the Lost Coast with a heavy pack for three days (oh hello shoulders!) and gratitude to the community + support systems that makes all of this possible.

After a two year hiatus from WHOA adventures, I’m so so glad to be back.

Till next time…

💪 keep on adventuring

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Reflections on finding adventure close to home on the Lost Coast of California from 3x WHOAlum, @the.bougie.dirtbag ✨

“In 2019 I was living blocks from the ocean in Santa Monica, spending as much time outside as possible. Weeknights at the beach, weekends hiking, biking, camping, and living out of my Jeep, following the coastline or driving into the mountains before sunset. Back then, it felt like adventure was always within reach.

Six years and countless life changes later, I found myself back on the California coast for three days hiking The Lost Coast with WHOA. A place I hadn’t truly returned to since I left, even though I’d been back to California many times.

Even before I stepped foot on the trail, the memories came flooding back.

I missed the salty ocean air, the foggy gray mornings, the crunch of sand under my feet, and the white noise of waves that never stop day or night.

Most of all, I missed that sense of freedom. Carrying everything I needed in a backpack brought it all back, along with the reminder that I don’t need nearly as much as I think.

This group reminded me that the people walking beside us are everything. The experience feels so much richer when you’re moving through the sand together, sharing stories around the campfire, watching the sun disappear beneath the horizon. There’s a bond that forms when someone admits this is their first time camping, and a real joy in finding all this beauty not too far from the places we call home.

That’s the thing about this trip. You don’t have to be an experienced backpacker. Most of us arrived as strangers, some had never camped before, and the GAL helps you figure out what to actually carry. Adventure doesn’t have to mean traveling across the world or escaping your life. Sometimes all you need is a long weekend outdoors with mostly strangers to give you space to reflect, and to come home with new skills, new friendships, and new perspectives.

If you’ve been curious about backpacking, or looking for something shorter and closer to home, there’s a good chance the Lost Coast will capture your heart the way it captured mine.” 🌊

🔗 Check out the link in bio for details on our 2027 Lost Coast hike.

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How do words even begin to describe the pure joy and amazement we have been living this past week on the Lost Coast?

The King Range National Conservation Area in Northern California is home to the Lost Coast Trail which spans over 25 miles of rugged coastline. Our special group backpacked along black-sand beaches, loose gravel, boulders, river rocks, brush-filled cliffs, creeks, and bluffs. We followed tide charts and safely navigated the rising tides of the Pacific as high tide rolled in and beaches became impassable.

Our group had new friends and old friends. Laughter and tears. Jokes and childlike play. Challenging moments and creature comforts. Yoga and meditation. Delicious backcountry cuisine and birthday cheesecake. Sunsets and moody fog. Wildlife and flora/fauna. Singing and dancing. Creek plunges and late night hot tub soaks. Beach camping and falling asleep to crashing waves. And so so so many more memories.

Our group bonded in ways that words fail to capture. Like so many before us who have connected deeply on a WHOA adventure, it has to be felt to be understood.

To this incredible group of Lost Coast hikers- every single one of you made this experience perfect. Thank you for entrusting us, thank you for showing up, and thank you for bringing yourself to the Lost Coast. We’ll always have these memories.

We cannot wait for more adventures together.

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Such a great time with Meredith (as always) at the Innocence Project Gala ✨✨✨

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Loved seeing Meredith and Vanessa at the Innocence Project Gala ✨✨✨ As always!!

Meredith is the Director of the Innocence Network and coaches 70 network organizations with nonprofit management and development!! 70…what a rockstar!

Thanks for the incredible job you do with the Innocence Network Conference year after year! Can’t wait to be living together in Netherlands soon! 😉

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Had a great time this past week in Chicago with all my brothers and sisters for the @innocencenetwork conference. Justice warriors all. We are family, and I got mad love and respect for them all. #innocencenetwork #wrongfulconvictions #justicechampions #freedom #chicago

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We hosted a little get together last night to thank our donors and partners who support the mission of the Barrow Mansion. It was great to meet some of our supporters and thank them in person. Big thanks to @convivomusic for making the evening extra special!

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