June 2020 - Parks & Recreation - 46

P U B L I C H E A LT H

plicable and proven solutions but
will require investment in those
solutions to create larger impacts
and long-term outcomes. However,
some of the challenges we'll confront will be less familiar and some
will be brand new.
As we enter this new decade, we
are coming to grips with the reality of our most pressing health and
social challenges - the substance
use and vaping epidemics; rising
rates of mental health conditions;
inequitable access to healthy food,
healthcare, quality neighborhoods
and educational opportunities; and
of course, the ongoing impact of
the global coronavirus (COVID-19)
pandemic and its aftermath.
What's more, we realize there
are drastic differences between
health outcomes and quality of life
- often influenced by race, class,
ability, identity, gender, sexual orientation, age and other defining
characteristics - and that the disparities are growing.
We also grasp the full force of
climate change, creating more powerful and destructive storms and
threatening our daily lives down to
the water we
drink, the

44

Parks & Recreation

air we breathe and the food we eat.
And, we see that for the first time
in our nation's history, due to the
substance-use epidemic and suicide, life expectancy has declined.
The reality of 2020 appears scary,
uncertain, and riddled with health,
environmental and social challenges
that we must confront as a nation
and as a profession. It's at this time
though, amid a global pandemic and
other public health issues, that the
unmatched ability of the park and
recreation profession to promote,
protect and improve the health of
people and communities has never
been more important. Parks and
recreation remains a key part of
a connected public health system,
but there is an even greater role that
agencies can play, as community
wellness hubs - trusted gathering
places that connect every member
of the community to essential programs, services and spaces that advance health equity, improve health
outcomes and enhance quality of
life. While the field possesses unique
potential to serve in this role, swift
action and mobilization are needed,
and the time to take that action is
now. Furthermore, the park and recreation profession must focus its efforts in several key areas to advance
our goals and build healthier, happier, more equitable communities.

must confront other inequities, such
as gentrification and displacement;
disinvestment in education and
neighborhood amenities, including
parks and green space; loan denial
and discriminatory workplace practices that perpetuated the wealth divide. We must understand the truth
and legacy of our nation's history
and how these practices continue
to impact socioeconomic, health,
environmental and educational disparities that exist today.
In addition, people of color,
low-income communities and other historically marginalized populations often lack access to quality
parks and recreation, resulting in
substantial health disparities and
negative impacts on quality of
life and life expectancy. By focusing efforts on equitably advancing
community health and well-being
through parks and recreation, we
can ensure that all people - no
matter race, class, ability or identity
- have a fair and just opportunity
to be as healthy as possible.
To support eﬀorts to embed equity
into park agencies' internal operations, planning and programming,
NRPA will be releasing several
resources over the next year. Our
new Creating an Equitable SystemWide Park Master Plan resource is
a good place to start.

Confronting History to
Advance Health Equity

Collaborating to Innovate

If we hope to create real change,
we first must acknowledge our
nation's deep-rooted history
of injustice and how that
impacts people and communities today - from
slavery and share cropping
to Jim Crow laws, to redlining practices and zoning ordinances that established and
reinforced segregation. We also

To truly advance health equity,
improve health outcomes and
enhance quality of life, communities must invest in system-wide
changes that prioritize advancing
the social determinants of health,
meeting community members
where they are and responding to
their unique needs. This can be
achieved by leveraging the power
of parks and recreation to serve

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June 2020 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2020 - Parks & Recreation
