Creating New Avenues for Healthy Lifestyles in Newark, Rhode Island
The Newport HEZ is a place-based initiative focusing on the North End and Broadway neighborhoods, which are the city’s most racially diverse communities. Its goals are to reduce current health disparities present in these communities and to empower residents with the skills to create community change.
Since its establishment in 2015, the Newport HEZ has worked to increase access to public transportation, active transportation (such as walking or biking), open space, and healthy foods.
Newark on the Move!
The Transportation Working Group explores how to increase resident use of active transportation (walking and biking) and public transportation; as well as advocate for transportation equity. Beyond the physical and emotional health benefits of active transportation, any mode of transportation allows one to access many health related services and reduces the feeling of isolation and stress.
With the support of lead partner organization Bike Newport, the Newport HEZ Transportation Working Group explores how to increase resident use of active transportation (walking and biking) and public transportation. It works towards ensuring that residents can get where they need to go safely, comfortably, and conveniently.
In 2021, the Transportation Work Group helped Newport pass the Green and Complete Streets ordinance—codifying goals and best practices that support designing safe and green streets.
To encourage physical activity and active transportation, BikeNewport worked with residents to map popular neighborhood destinations. The data were then used to create walking and biking routes that are now marked with signage including illustrations made by community members.
Creating Access to Fresh Food
The HEZ Food Justice Work Group, led by partner organization Aquidneck Community Table, has a dual purpose: to increase HEZ residents’ immediate access to healthy affordable food and to address the structural barriers to food access through resident engagement and advocacy. Its activities include support for the farmers market in Miantonomi Memorial Park and teaching people how to grow and prepare their own food.
The Newport HEZ also launched a Fresh Zone initiative, which promotes fresh fruits and vegetables in corner stores and food pantries in the Broadway and North End communities—making fresh food far more available and accessible to residents.
Things We Share intertwines recipes, practical information, and cultural and personal histories to celebrate resilience and community health and to talk about health disparities. Working with other RI illustrators, Jazzmen Lee-Johnson created this graphic cookbook while serving as the Rhode Island Department of Health’s first artist-in-residence.