“Who can tell me what is a grain?” asked a coach at a “Soccer for Success” session with young children last summer on a South Los Angeles playing field. “Wheat!” a young boy called out. “Who knows the difference between a good wheat and a bad wheat?” she asked next. “One is a brown one … READ MORE
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A new community garden springs up after land group adopts health perspective
Alina Bokde, executive director the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, wasn’t quite sure how a new push to view her organization’s work through a public health lens would work. She’s been acquiring open space in urban areas for years, with an eye toward conserving land, providing recreation and helping to mitigate climate change. But having … READ MORE
Controlled burns spark hope on Yurok reservation
The forests on the Yurok tribal lands in Northern California look like weed-choked, overgrown gardens, as one tribal member described it.1 After years of fire suppression – in an ecosystem that needs fire to regenerate – the forest is filled with underbrush that crowds out desirable plants used for basket making, medicines and food. And … READ MORE
Mexico tax drives down soda purchases, as hoped
So far, only Mexico, France, the City of Berkeley and the Navajo Nation have succeeded in passing a “sin tax” on soda or junk food, despite many attempts among various governments over the years. So there has been virtually no way to know if these taxes would actually to cut soda consumption – which nutritionists … READ MORE
Low-crime neighborhoods promote mental health in older Latinos
This is from a new study out of the University of Illinois. It’s long known that bad neighborhoods raise stress, but this one quantifies the effect, and in terms of depression. It’s not hard to understand that staying cooped up inside, and feeling fearful leaving your house, would bring on depression. Next step, as the … READ MORE
Running Keeps You Younger
As a once-regular runner, this headline was intriguing to come across: “Running really can keep you young, says CU-Boulder-Humboldt State study.” The gist of the article is that seniors who run regularly also use energy more efficiently while walking, about the same as a typical 20-year-old. But older people who walk for exercise rather than … READ MORE
Coaches turn recess into fun, constructive classroom break
The kids obviously adored Coach “Trell” as she strode into an elementary school in San Pablo, Calif., jumping around her and asking questions. The coach, Shantrell Sneed, was with Playworks, an Oakland, Calif. nonprofit whose mission is to turn recess into a constructive, fun and healthy experience. When recess is largely unsupervised, conflicts arise on … READ MORE
New laws reform high school discipline practices
This hasn’t gotten much notice, but a “listening campaign” in California communities by a major nonprofit led to a swift – in legislative terms – enactment of five new California laws to reduce high schools suspension and expulsion rates. The long-term result is fewer incarcerations and healthier lives. “None of us had that on our … READ MORE
LA residents advocate for second chance for ex-offenders
This is Vanessa La Blanc, 34. This photo was taken on Aug. 24, 2012, and it’s on a construction site in South Los Angeles where a remarkable construction project is underway. It represents a win for the developer, the community, and former convicts like La Blanc who want a new start. On June 18 – … READ MORE
Another teen dream lifted up in Del Norte
Benjamin Thomas, 18, once felt like most other Del Norte County youth: He wanted to exit the scenic but economically depressed county right after he graduated. “The teenage dream is to get out of here as fast as possible,” the high school senior said. But like Makenzy Williams, whose story is described here, Benjamin joined … READ MORE