Cities contribute to the traumas that cause unhealthy stress, particularly for the poor and residents who have been impacted by systemic racism. Segregated neighborhoods, insecure housing, limited access to playgrounds and open space, environmental pollution and unsafe streets are several of the root causes of stress that compound in urban environments. But what if these places actively worked to promote the health and healing of all residents? The new book, Cities for Life, shares lessons from places that are confronting historically discriminatory, exclusionary and racist urban institutions and promoting healing-focused practices, placemaking and public policies. Come learn how you can encourage your own cities to take the lead in generating equitable outcomes by investing more in peacemaking and parks than in policing, focusing on community decision-making instead of data surveillance and building more affordable housing than highways.
- Jason Coburn / UC Berkeley Department of City and Regional Planning and the School of Public Health