Too often, the debate about the state of Americans’ health focuses exclusively on lifestyle choices and individual decisions. We know that is only part of the story. Increasingly, neighborhoods, schools and workplaces limit access to healthy food and physical exercise. Yet, we are beginning to see that multi-sector collaboration is creating healthier environments.
Over the past three years, Kaiser Permanente has worked with our community partners on a project called Photovoice (http://xnet.kp.org/newscenter/inthecommunity/2009/062609photovoice.html). Through Photovoice, residents are learning the basics of photojournalism and advocacy to create stories to promote social change. We have now released a video that showcases some of their amazing work and how it has resulted in important changes in their communities.
As the community voices highlighted in the Photovoice video show, the infrastructure in our communities too often impedes what used to be a simple way for children to exercise – walking or biking to school. Each of us has the power to drive awareness and action around creating safe places for kids to play and go to school, and encourage walking and biking to reduce childhood obesity rates.
Today is International Walk to School Day. I hope you took part in some way. If you joined in, please take a few moments to share your thoughts or pictures about the day here on this Safe Routes to School events page (http://www.facebook.com/kpthrive#/event.php?eid=160358436201&ref=mf).
I get asked that question quite frequently and there is no simple answer. When I think about the definition a lot of words come into mind: Problem Solver, Risk Taker, Effective Speaker, Persuader and more. We’ll be exploring and talking with many different types of leaders in this column. I’m sure we’ll discover that leaders come in all sizes and shapes. More importantly, the circumstances under which they became a leader will be fascinating to hear about. It won’t be too surprising to find out that many people never set out to be a leader but found themselves stepping up to take on the role of leading a group, a team of people or their own families to solve problems that they face.
Our goal is to discover the different types of leaders, hear their stories and listen to the lessons they will share with us about their leadership experience. What is so exciting is that this column offers us an opportunity to learn and write about multicultural women and men who are leaders in different fields, occupations and in their communities. These people have spent years learning to become leaders. Thirty years ago, when I started out in my career, we never had leaders like these to have as role models. Now we have the great fortune to hear what they have learned and to archive it for future generations. Many of the women we have started interviewing are excited and pleased to share with us their stories and the lessons they’ve learned. They want to help people avoid the pitfalls, issues and challenges they’ve faced. They are eager to share solutions on how they dealt with difficult situations, career threatening events and management problems they faced.
If you have suggestions of leaders that you’d like us to interview, please send us a comment or email us at: info@engageher.org and we will follow up and interview them.
A group of 26 women gathered at Flo and Ed Wong’s beautiful home Wednesday evening for the second Engage Her Silicon Valley Circle meeting. Multicultural women from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds gathered to meet, share, contribute and bond with one another. Crossing cultural lines and opening up their hearts and minds they were determined to step out of their traditional “silos” and connect with one another in a powerful, meaningful way.
The opportunity for positive change is upon us. Women are stepping up, taking leadership roles and engaging the community to take action in big and small ways. There are issues on a global and national scale. And there are issues in our own backyard. It is clear that there are many challenges ahead in regards to the economy, jobs, the environment, education, healthcare, civil liberties, immigration and more. But together, we can start the movement to change, one circle at a time.
I look forward to the next Engage Her Silicon Valley Circle in September (to be announced).
