Walk the Walk Week 2026
From January 24–31, 2026, Notre Dame will celebrate the 11th annual campus-wide observance of Walk the Walk Week (WTWW).
What is WTTW?
Walk the Walk Week is a week-long series of University, department, and student-sponsored events designed to help us renew our commitment to building the Beloved Community. Our efforts in this regard flow directly from our Catholic faith and mission as a Catholic university.
In keeping with Catholic social teaching, we strive to:
- Live in solidarity with all, particularly the most vulnerable
- Honor the God-given dignity of every person
- Treat each individual with respect
- Build a Notre Dame community in which all can flourish
WTWW is an important opportunity, among many throughout the year, to recommit ourselves to these principles and consider our next steps in building an ever-more just and inclusive campus and society.
Tech for Good Series During WTWW 2026
Tech for Good is an immersive workshop series during Walk the Walk Week that will explore the intersection of technology, culture, and social issues. This unique series brings together a variety of perspectives to examine how technology can be harnessed to address global challenges, promote cultural understanding, and foster positive social change.
Participants will engage in hands-on, interactive sessions and thought-provoking discussions that showcase the potential of technology to inspire, educate, and empower us as we seek to advance the greater good.
Sessions:
Click the session titles to expand.
Session 1: Gathering Traditions, Building Community, Crossing Borders
Date: Wednesday, January 28
Time: 12:00–1:00 p.m.
Location: Information Technology Center, Room 226
Presenters: Meredith Abarca (Department of English, University of Texas at El Paso) and Steven Varela (OIT Teaching and Learning Technologies, Notre Dame)
Format: Discussion and Hands-On Activities
Register Here
Folklore lives in all of us—in what we make, celebrate, and pass down. This collaborative presentation will bring together students from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and academic technologists from the University of Notre Dame to explore how expressive cultural practices can create pathways toward solidarity, dignity, and mutual understanding.
Through folklore stories written by UTEP students in Professor Meredith Abarca’s Mexican-American Folklore class, and showcased via a mixed-media technology platform provided at Notre Dame, we will discover how rituals, music, food, celebrations, and oral traditions carry deep personal meaning while reflecting universal human experiences of love, belonging, and hope. These borderlands stories, some archived in UTEP’s Institute of Oral History “El Paso Folklore” collection, reveal how communities preserve their unique identities while participating in a shared story.
Folklore connects the intimate with the universal. A family recipe, a seasonal festival, and/or a traditional song can embody lived experiences and aspirations that stretch far beyond any single moment. Rather than remaining frozen in time, these traditions adapt to new realities, demonstrating creativity as one of our greatest strengths. When we gather, share, and preserve folklore, we sustain not only distinct cultural roots, but also build upon what seems to be a singular narrative about border culture.
This presentation will invite you to engage with borderlands folklore and practice the empathy and respect necessary for creating the Beloved Community.
Session Objectives:
- Understand folklore as a living practice that preserves cultural identity while adapting to contemporary realities, demonstrating how tradition and innovation coexist in meaningful ways
- Recognize connections between folklore and Catholic social teaching, particularly how expressive cultural practices embody principles of solidarity, human dignity, and community-building central to Notre Dame’s mission
- Develop empathy across cultural differences by exploring how borderlands communities use folklore to navigate questions of belonging and hope—experiences that resonate universally while remaining culturally specific
- Appreciate the role of oral history and cultural preservation in honoring voices from communities and ensuring their stories contribute to broader conversations about culture
- Identify ways folklore practices in individuals’ own lives connect personal and family traditions to larger cultural narratives, fostering reflection on how everyday practices carry meaning and shape identity
- Consider practical applications of folklore’s lessons for building the Beloved Community at Notre Dame, recognizing how attention to cultural expression strengthens our collective commitment to justice and belonging
Session 2: Games for Good
Date: Thursday, January 29
Time: 3:00–5:00 p.m.
Location: DeBartolo Hall, Room B003 (in the basement)
Hosts: Dan Johnson (Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship, Notre Dame), Randy Harrison (Hesburgh Libraries, Notre Dame), Crystal DeJaegher (OIT Teaching and Learning Technologies, Notre Dame), and Steven Varela (OIT Teaching and Learning Technologies, Notre Dame)
Format: Two-Hour Interactive Session
No advance registration required.
This interactive event will bring together students, faculty, and staff to explore powerful digital and board games designed to foster empathy, challenge perspectives, and deepen our understanding of social justice issues.
You’ll have the opportunity to experience a variety of thoughtfully selected games that address themes central to our Walk the Walk Week commitment to build the Beloved Community. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or new to the medium, these accessible experiences invite meaningful reflection and dialogue about how we can better honor the dignity of every person.
Through gameplay, we’ll explore how interactive experiences can help us walk alongside others, recognize our shared humanity, and consider concrete steps toward building the Beloved Community on our campus and beyond.
Come ready to play, learn, and connect with fellow community members who share a commitment to justice, equity, and inclusion. Pizza and other junk food provided.
All skill levels are welcome. No prior gaming experience necessary.
Session Objectives
- Participate in facilitated discussions that bridge gameplay experiences with real-world applications
- Understand how interactive media can effectively communicate social issues and foster learning
- Experience narratives and decision-making from viewpoints different from your own
- Appreciate the lived experiences of a range of individuals and communities
- Practice active listening and compassionate engagement with complex, sometimes uncomfortable topics
Collaborating Groups:
- Teaching and Learning Technologies, Office of Information Technology
- Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship, Hesburgh Libraries
- Notre Dame Learning
- Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights