TED City 2.0 a lens for the future and health

What's your take on city life and health today and for the future? TED City2.0 pushes the conversation to examine far-reaching and practical lessons future. In case you missed it review the sessions here: 

The urban mix of New York City has been been my stomping ground for a life time. While my family has lived in Queens for five generations I've gone to school, worked and lived all over Manhattan and the boroughs as well as in the Caribbean and southern Africa. My work in community development involved creating public-private philanthropic relationships with community-based organizations tackling the challenges of city life from the unique lens of their communities. This experience helped me appreciate that what moves people and community often differs in each neighborhood, but common ground is a reasonable expectation when working broadly at efforts like diversity and inclusion, creating opportunities for young people and vulnerable populations to thrive or even to define the health of cities by a walkability index.  

Cities draw crowds of people from all over the world who come with their dreams, but when you show up its the urban vibe that will inform your life creating new opportunities as well as challenges. What you see and experience in art and culture can move your imagination whether you are in Bogota, Mogadishu or Atlanta urban experiences push creativity that shape cities. Those who work in policy, architecture in urban planning must use cross talk to build places of resiliency where growing populations in cities around the world have urgent and complex needs for housing, education, health care and public works like safety and sanitation to work for entrepreneurs, artists, everyday working folks and their families and communities. Cities have communities -- a well kept secret. For example, New York City has 59 communities and hundreds of distinct neighborhoods. It takes leadership as well as the ingenuity of the people to address the formidable population boom occurring in cities all around the world.

Show and tell

I've been posting a selection of my meals and food choices as I'm trying new dishes and rethinking old favorites.  It's my take on a digital food diary and yes, there is probably an app for that my collection is on Facebook where feedback is a shared experience.

Dinner also included a scenic seaside view.

I admit dining out has been a challenge, but I've been doing some "mental rehearsing" trying plan ahead as well as think through my ideas about healthier choices before I sit down to the table. I also found the article "Health Eating While Dining With Others" helpful. The stress of sharing meals with family, friends and/or colleagues can be emotional when trying to eat healthier even in a mix of good company. Last weekend was a good example, I went out with friends to a very popular burger place, but ordered chicken. It wasn't well-prepared so I sent it back to the kitchen and had grilled brussel sprouts and a selection of seafood later on in evening that I prepared.

Another aspect of my healthier living plan involves moving more and also joined the GirlTrek of Healthy Black Women and Girls .  Here are my newest badges.

 

 

Nike+ Running app!

From Girl Trek

 

 

Earlier this week, I also found my way (yes, I wander walk) to the Harriet Tubman Memorial Statue in New York City.  I was struck by the broken chains in the rear section of the statue, such historical symbolism sheds contemporary "shackles" that we face for our health and healing within ourselves, families and communities.  

Share you thoughts.