Three years ago, at the height of the COVID pandemic, one of the darkest times our world has faced, my heart broke daily as I witnessed our entire community, living life in survival mode. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, 2/3’s of respondents reported the pandemic permanently changed their lives. The report showed that due to our collective trauma, a good proportion of the country has been living in “sustained survival mode” with significant consequences on our mental health.
During this time, I met @Rachel Chavkin, an award-winning stage director who introduced me to @Lear deBessonet, and @Clyde Valentin, two extraordinarily talented and accomplished artists with a vision for what our communities could look like post COVID-19 if we married the arts and community health. @One Nation/One Project was shortly launched with an “audacious” campaign called “Arts For EveryBody” proving how the arts can lead to healthier people and healthier communities. I was all in after meeting Rachel, and so excited when they announced the Bronx was selected as one of the 18 project cities/towns!
Connecting with ONOP allowed us to dream about the ways we could serve as a catalyst of joy and hope for our communities. I wanted our project to be a successful, sustainable, replicative model that could inspire other communities. I met the fantastic @Dr.Jill Sonke, Founding Director of the Center for Arts in Medicine at the University of Florida. Through research and data, she is proving why medicine needs art. I am extremely grateful for her guidance and for always sharing her expertise.
Today, Urban Health Plan is pioneering efforts to integrate arts/culture into healthcare through our “Arts Desk” and our “social prescribing” initiative. Social prescribing is about bridging healthcare and the community to help advance health equity. UHP Providers refer patients to cultural/art-related opportunities/events that are free/low cost in the local community.
Tomorrow, artists, civic leaders, and community health providers in 18 cities/towns, including The Bronx, will simultaneously premiere our participatory art projects. Around the country, there will be artists, health workers, poets, folk dancers, circus clowns, flower artists, skaters, cooks, architects, DJs, puppeteers, mariachi players, and more creating new works that show the world where they come from!
“Arts For Everybody,” is Urban Health Plan’s contribution to the celebration and collective joy that will be simultaneously happening across the country. Stop by Southern Blvd and West Farms Rd from 11-4pm. Arrive early so you can march in our parade!
We are excited and we know THE BEST IS YET TO COME!
If you can make it, I would love to see you there! In the meantime, take a look at how social prescribing is impacting our community!
#UHP4HealthierLives
#UHP50
#ArtsForEverybody
#ONOP https://lnkd.in/eNYaDGSs