We Run Brownsville Spring 2017

We run Brownsville is a grassroots effort to encourage women who are living and working in Brownsville to take ownership of their physical, mental and emotional wellness. Runners will participate in an 8 week, walk to run program that will prepare them to complete a competitive 5K race. We Run Brownsville provides a safe, liberated and brave space for women of color to honor their individual and collective truths. In this, our third cohort, we have established an empathetic, non-judgmental support structure that sustains healthy life changes and considers barriers to a continuum of care through the lens of equity and social justice. We will hone existing advocacy skills and cultivate "active" activism in personal growth workshops and community conversations. Finally, We Run Brownsville will create a mini-documentary/PSA highlighting our successes as a way to promote strong resistance to a negative external narrative and celebrate our lived experience of empowerment and resilience.

We Run Brownsville because we should.

Ongoing Filming

Assemble Advisory and Implementation Team

Collaborative Pianning with Community Based Organizations and Local Agencies/Leaders

Conduct Outreach and Recruitment Drives

Orientation and First Practice ( take baseline measurements)

Begin Outdoor Training (3 times a week)

Utilize Online Support System

Bi-Monthly "SPA" Dates (Support/Problem Solve/Advocate)

Team Participates in 5K Run/Walk event

Edit Film

Assess/Analyze Data

There is a widening disparity between wealthy and impoverished communities deeply impacting health outcomes. Brownsville, with the highest concentration of public housing in the nation and with 80% of of its residents experiencing deep, generational poverty, has a life expectancy that is 11 years less than its neighbors in the Financial District. According to NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett, a person's health should not be determined by their zip code. Community members need to collaborate around solutions that are both reflective and respective of the place they call home. We Run Brownsville is solving an existing issue with an innovative twist on community building and relationship development in order to generate positive trends for WRB team members.