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To Reduce Impact of Natural Disasters, Strengthen Social Ties

By Risa Wilkerson on September 20th, 2017

Layered deeply in the process of healthy community work, so integral they can be overlooked, are two key factors that impact our ability to survive and thrive: trusting relationships and […]

Community Health and Climate Change: Local Strategies Can Address Both

By Sarah Moore on September 13th, 2017

The American Public Health Association (APHA) declared 2017 the Year of Climate Change and Health. And, fittingly, September was designated Extreme Weather Month. As Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and South […]

Four Things We Learned from Evaluating Our Impact

By Sydney Jones on September 7th, 2017

As an essential practice in Active Living By Design (ALBD)’s Community Action Model, we often talk about cultivating a Culture of Learning. And as ALBD’s evaluation specialist, helping our team […]

Creating Safe, Active, and Healthy Communities Through Walkability

By America Walks on August 30th, 2017

At America Walks, we know that the benefits of walking extend well beyond health. Everything from familial relationships and community engagement to local economies and environments improve when communities are […]

Monuments to Racism Undermine Community Health

By Phil Bors on August 23rd, 2017

Recent events in Charlottesville, VA have sent us reeling. At Active Living By Design (now Healthy Places by Design), we believe that health and wellbeing are essential human rights, and […]

Is Facilitative Leadership an Art or an Ordeal?

By Rich Bell on August 16th, 2017

If you’re a changemaker who is committed to community engagement as an essential practice for advancing health equity and addressing complex problems, you are undoubtedly drawn to facilitative leadership. After […]

Building a Culture of Health through Collaborative Learning

By Joanne Lee on July 26th, 2017

It is impossible to achieve and sustain a Culture of Health without practicing a Culture of Learning. The complexities of the community transformation process require us to be curious and […]

The Unexpected Way Organizations Exploit Vulnerable People

By Risa Wilkerson on July 20th, 2017

Imagine this scenario: you’re part of a group of summer interns working on healthy community projects, each with a specific focus that requires a deep understanding of the local context […]

Put Race at the Center to Improve Health

By Danielle Sherman on July 12th, 2017

Racism impacts our health and well-being. This is something we don’t say often enough, despite the fact that people of color still have higher rates of morbidity and mortality than […]

Partnerships Focus on Social Determinants of Health and Help Build a New Social Contract

By Rich Bell on June 28th, 2017

Of the many wicked problems in communities, institutions, and government, virtually all of them are rooted in histories of broken connections, damaged trust and eroded respect that have driven increases […]