June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 40

Healthy Communities of Opportunity: An Interview
with Mildred Thompson and Victor Rubin
By Zarnaaz Bashir, MPH

H

ealth equity is achieved when every person has the opportunity to attain his or her full health potential and no one is disadvantaged from
achieving this potential because of social position or other socially
determined circumstances. Availability and accessibility to safe, vibrant parks are social determinants that can influence an individual's health. Still,
disparities exist in distribution of and access to public parks and recreation facilities, and these inequities are negatively impacting the health of many Americans.
NRPA recently connected with Mildred Thompson and Victor Rubin, director
of the Center for Health Equity and Place and vice president of research for
PolicyLink, respectively. PolicyLink is a national research and action institute focused on creating environments and conditions that benefit everyone, especially
people in low-income communities and communities of color. We asked them to
draw on their experiences regarding ways in which park and recreation agencies
can work to achieve health equity.
Parks & Recreation magazine: Tell
us about the work you do at PolicyLink to promote health equity in
communities and why park and recreation agencies are critical to this.

38	 Parks & Recreation

Mildred Thompson: As director for
the Center for Health Equity and
Place at PolicyLink, we focus on improving the environment to promote
health, and improving community

| J U N E 2 0 1 5 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

health outcomes by addressing health
equity. When addressing health equity, it is important to look closely at
what is happening in the environment
and what needs to change in order
to achieve health equity. The ability to have access to parks is part of
that strategy. Primarily in low-income
communities, there is often a lack of
access to thriving, vibrant parks. Everything about parks and recreation
is important to us because it has both
direct and indirect health consequences.
We believe in the importance of having thriving, accessible parks because
they have multiple purposes for families and community infrastructure. At
PolicyLink, we are trying to identify
places that have a need for parks, or
better parks, and how to make sure



June 2015 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2015 - Parks & Recreation

June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 1
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 2
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 3
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 4
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 5
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 6
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 7
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 8
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 9
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 10
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 11
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 12
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 13
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 14
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 15
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 16
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 17
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 18
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 19
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 20
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 21
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 22
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 23
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 24
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 25
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 26
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 27
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 28
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 29
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 30
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 31
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 32
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 33
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 34
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 35
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 36
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 37
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 38
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 39
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 40
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 41
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 42
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 43
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 44
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 45
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 46
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 47
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 48
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 49
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 50
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 51
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 52
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 53
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 54
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 55
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 56
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 57
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 58
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 59
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 60
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 61
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 62
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 63
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 64
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 65
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 66
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 67
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 68
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 69
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 70
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 71
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 72
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 73
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 74
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 75
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 76
June 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 77
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com