It’s been a busy year since we opened the doors to the Center for Wellbeing & Happiness back in October 2022. We have registered nearly 1,000 members, engaged 30 instructors rooted in the Lower East Side community, offered 26 unique courses and 22 events, and reached nearly 3,000 visits to the space.
However, the numbers only tell part of the story. The real story comes from you. When we launched this new space, we proposed a transformational idea—that the wellbeing of young people on the Lower East Side was intimately connected to the care provided to their families and the larger community that’s raising them. Since then, you have come out in full force to show us what community care looks like.
As an organization rooted in the radical imagination of a group of parents, artists, and community activists, we have always hoped the Center would not only be a space to hold classes and events, but also to exchange ideas.
We have set out to share a simple idea: building a community in which the wellbeing of all generations and genders is collectively supported requires a holistic approach.
In the field of public health, we call this the social determinants of health framework. This means the persistent health disparities we see, especially in communities like the Lower East Side, do not happen by accident. These conditions are the intentional results of unjust systems that have shaped how we are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age. So if we want to change the conditions of our community, we need to change these systems.
And that change starts with education, discussion, and, ultimately, action. That’s why we are excited to launch Well-blog, a space for our community to talk about what wellbeing looks like for the Lower East Side and how we can work towards collective wellbeing together.
All year long, Well-blog will be featuring recipes, reflections, and resources from our team and community members. However, this journey toward collective wellbeing is just beginning, and we want to hear from you. Please let us know what kinds of content you want to see on Well-blog by filling out this brief survey.
Until we see you next time, be well!
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