Residents are essential partners
in the work to transform the places they call home.
These prize-winners know that shifting decision-making
to those closest to the challenges
is the best way to create more equitable communities.
Palm Beach County’s approach is that in order to make changes in the community,
the community needs to be involved.
No one can tell their story better than they can.
And no one knows what they need better than they do.
Traditionally, it's usually funders and providers
coming together and making decisions for the community.
And what we've said is, well,
let's get the community involved.
How do we ask the community,
what are the needs that you have?
How do we bring them to the table, so when we're making a decision,
we're designing solutions together?
One of our Healthier Together communities
they came up with the idea of
having a mini grant process.
The idea was to
spark and support
resident innovation for helping to come up with solutions
in their own neighborhoods.
We were blown away, really,
with folks who would not have called themselves leaders,
but who have creative ideas.
You get fatigued really quick,
feel like like you’re fighting an endless fight, right?
But it’s not endless.
People have to see people
that look like them doing amazing things,
to aspire them to one day
do amazing things.
I wanted to be someone that made a difference, not just someone
that was sitting by on the sideline complaining.
The whole idea of agency, having agency for changing things,
the time has come,
and I think we’re seeing a lot of it in a really beautiful way
here in Palm Beach County.
I am very proud of organizations that are asking
how do we make a shift and have residents lead
that to me is shifting more and more towards a culture of health.
A group of young people went into one of our ceremonies
and a mirror was held up before each of them,
they were asked the question:
“How long are you going to let others decide the future of your children?
Are you not warriors?
So, what are we going to actively do
to change the trajectory of our people, of our nation?”
We’re Lakota
and the best way we know how to do that is
through our language, our spirituality, our Lakota life ways.
The design of the community came from community members themselves,
hundreds of hours of community engagement to ask people what they wanted.
They wanted a multifunctional community
where they could live and shop and play and work and interact
and all of those things that they don’t currently receive.
Youth Leadership Development - it’s helping
youth and students with their education,
providing opportunities to be more active and to become leaders in the community.
Our young women’s society is so important
because it connects young women
to the mentors that are really versed and knowledgeable in our life ways,
in our teachings,
and so they’re gaining a new community and building relationships.
It’s important for us to have a workforce that’s able to
meet the needs of business and the people in our community.
But we need to be able to focus beyond just a worker and their job.
They have a spirit,
and that’s something that we look to take are of.
As a Lakota person, embracing who we are,
knowing what our ancestors went through,
using that experience to move forward.
It’s awesome to be a part of.
Here in National City, we are focusing on recognizing that
whatever phase of life you are in,
you are seen, and your voice is valued.
We really want to create that pipeline of of leadership.
Promotoras are trusted figures who recognize the needs of the community.
Diabetes, heart disease, are prevalent here.
So the promotoras take proactive measures to talk about access to healthcare
that is preventative.
BrightSide Produce was kind of born out of an idea of
reclaiming the corner liquor store.
We said, “Why not recreate a space
in those corner stores to be
fresh produce and distributors of those elements?”
And it’s become a great partnership with BrightSide Produce.
A Reason to Survive, also known as ARTS
it’s become a place to activate for youth,
to create and be creative.
ARTS has a great youth leadership program, Community by Design.
Market Makeovers is when they come to a corner liquor, deli store,
and recreate
a welcoming environment that reflects the community
with fruits and vegetables, as well as art on the outside
that is a welcoming beacon for the community.
It’s very intentional to have people from the community
build up that pipeline and that homegrown leadership
And I think it’s just giving that credit and value
to what they’re already doing.