Couple brings marriage walk to Charlotte featuring singer from ‘Bell Biv DeVoe’
For the first time, a weekend celebration of marriage featuring a walk, a couples’ mixer and a game night is coming to Charlotte.
The 7th annual Married 4 Life Walk will take place in August.
“It’s all about keeping the marriage strong,” Martez Layton, co-founder, said. “We know that Black wealth comes through Black marriage staying healthy and thriving with each other.”
He and his wife, Woodrina Layton, have been married for 34 years. Together, they have counseled couples for 16 years.
The 2-mile walk, which has been held in Atlanta since 2019, will begin at Truist field in Uptown. The walk is the weekend’s staple event and was birthed out of a painful time in the founding couple’s relationship, Woodrina Layton said to attendees at the Sarah Stevenson Tuesday Forum.
“We were overcoming infidelity and the spirit of the Lord had my husband take me on walks in our neighborhood,” she said. “When we went on these walks, he would just hold my hand and we would just talk about our future, talk about purpose and destiny. Even though it was painful, we didn’t dwell in this pain.”
These walks helped reestablish their emotional bond, she added, so the couple wanted to bring something similar to community members.
During the walk couples hold hands and walk in unity, this encourages couples to never let go of the hand they’re holding, Woodrina Layton said.
“We all go through challenges in our relationship, but if we remain committed to God, one another, and doing the work, we can overcome those challenges.”
Ronnie DeVoe who sang with the musical groups “Bell Biv DeVoe” and “New Edition,” and his wife Shamari are marriage ambassadors and partner with the Laytons. The couple, who by next March will be married for 20 years, were in Charlotte Tuesday to promote the event.
The DeVoes are not strangers to adversity in their marriage. They were on the verge of divorce, planning how they were going to split their assets when Shamari thought, “let’s do something we haven’t done … pray together.”
The couple sought out counseling and connected with the Laytons, who coached them to begin to fight for their relationship.
Mixers and game night
During the walk there will be a balloon release. This is Shamari DeVoe’s favorite part, she said.
“When you let go of all of your challenges, it marks a shift in your relationship,” she said. “It’s about forgiving.” During the Tuesday forum, Ronnie Devoe invited married couples, engaged or those seriously dating to the weekend events.
On the event’s first day, Friday, Aug. 22, there will be a couples’ mixer, game night, panel, and date night with a DJ and dancing. The walk begins at 9 a.m., on Saturday, Aug. 23. After the walk at 6:30 p.m., there will be a “Couples Love Celebration & Gala,” which runs through Aug. 24, according to the event’s website.
UNC Charlotte alumnus and banking executive Dontá Wilson and his wife Bonika Wilson, an entreprenuer and author, are the city’s host couple. Special guests include actors and gospel singers David and Tamela Mann.
“The same way we walk for cancer, we’re walking for marriage,” Martez Layton said.
Want to go?
.Marriage 4 Life 7th Annual Walk and Couples Love Celebration & Gala takes place from Aug. 22 - 24. Various ticket prices and times of events may be found here.
This story was originally published July 30, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
