Angela
Neighborhood and Built Community
Building Community Through Art: Creative Enterprise Zone's Angela on Mural Festivals, Tree Planting, and Belonging
In this episode, host K. Elizabeth speaks with Angela, Executive Director of the Creative Enterprise Zone, about how public art and community investment shape neighborhoods and foster well-being. Angela discusses the significance of mural festivals, like the vibrant Chroma Zone, and the organization’s commitment to paying artists fairly and promoting diverse voices. The conversation also highlights the challenges of gentrification and how initiatives like the Taproot Investment Cooperative empower communities by purchasing local buildings. Through stories of art transforming lives, Angela shares her mission to create spaces of connection and belonging. Tune in for an inspiring discussion about creativity, resilience, and making a positive impact.
Healthy People 2030 is the fifth iterative of a 40+ year initiative to help communities, organizations, and individuals improve American’s health and well-being. One of the key goals of Healthy People 2030 is to highlight the importance of the 5 Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in increasing equity and reducing disparities in health; one of the five goals of Healthy People 2030 is directly related to the SDoH to “create social, physical, and economic environments that promote attaining the full potential for health and well-being for all” (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
The SDoH are the non-medical factors and environmental conditions where people are born, live, learn, work, play, and age. The SDoH influence up to 55% of our health outcomes including a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
One of the five SDoH is the neighborhood and build environment. Unfortunately, many individuals, particularly those from racial and ethnic minorities and people with low incomes, are disproportionately exposed to health-damaging factors like high rates of violence in their neighborhoods, unsafe air quality, lack of access to safe water, and prolonged exposure to things like secondhand smoke and loud noises. Interventions such as sidewalks, murals, and bikelanes can help increase safety and improve health and quality of life.
Episode Resources:
Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ)
CEZ Chroma Zone
US Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2030: SDoH
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Social Determinants of Health
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