As we finish the last of Thanksgiving leftovers, many of us are reflecting on the conversations that we had and didn’t have over the holiday. For the first time in years, my family didn’t talk about politics or where the world is going in a handbasket. We did talk about food, though. We pressed my […]
Developing upstream solutions to social problems is more effective than scrambling to apply reactive remedies downstream. Whether you call it prevention or “nippin’ it in the bud,” looking upstream leads to more lasting impact for more people. That’s why changemakers in community health view policy, systems, and environmental change strategies as the most promising approaches […]
I once knew a guy who couldn’t smell. Anything. At all. And because scent is invisible, his inability to detect it was also invisible. So despite the fact that his cologne could overpower an entire room, I often forgot his perspective. I created countless awkward moments by suggesting that he smell food, flowers, or crayons. […]
If a fact exists in a forest and no one is there to believe it, is it still true? You’ve probably heard by now that we’re living in a “post-fact” world. As a communications professional in the social sector, where accurate information and effective communication can improve and sometimes save people’s lives, I am deeply […]
Ownership, power, and violence are embedded in the English language. From possessive grammar to catchphrases with violent metaphors, how we communicate about our work can subtly undermine our best efforts at healthy community change, especially when working directly with communities. Whether English is your first language or thirteenth, its maze of rules—and exceptions to the […]
Healthy community leaders are constantly aiming to create demand and support for specific changes, and it can be tempting to use traditional health messaging, with its jargon and dense data sets, to sway opinion. However, when health is assumed to be the driving value for all audiences, that approach rarely works well. When resources are […]
A recent conversation with a neighbor taught me a few things about understanding. She and I usually disagree about almost everything—from politics to the meaning of life—but after two hours of talking one Saturday afternoon, we had a conversation that was “effective” from a communications standpoint. We not only came to understand what each other’s […]
Active Living By Design is about to launch a fresh model for community-driven change to reflect the evolution of our field’s growth. It reminds me of how far we’ve come. Early in my career, I was talked into wearing a Minnie Mouse costume at a health fair hosted by the local health department. My small […]
When nonprofit and community leaders share our progress in creating healthy community change, we use data and stories as our primary tools. We rely on data to track changes, discover trends and make comparisons. We rely on stories to spark compassion, illuminate details and provide context. However, though both are vital for effective communication, storytelling […]
Reflections from Voices for Healthy Kids As advocates, each year we look with hope for new statistics that may show us more signs of progress in the obesity epidemic. Some good news came in the latest State of Obesity report—rates have remained stable among girls, regardless of race or ethnicity. Unfortunately, rates continued to increase […]