Civic engagement shapes health. In this episode, host Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Heather Jones-Brown and Victoria Weber to connect everyday actions like voting, emailing a school board member, riding the bus, and showing up at a neighborhood cleanup to measurable health outcomes. The conversation stays local. They dig into transportation, school boards, city councils, water quality, and how libraries, community fridges, and grassroots networks move the needle.

You will hear:

• Why local elections often shape your daily health more than national races
• How transportation access influences employment, insurance coverage, food security, and mental health
• Practical ways to engage when your time or confidence is limited
• The hidden health power of libraries, community fridges, and neighborhood cleanups

Links:

• My City My Health Conference info and merch: mycity.health
• NAACP Des Moines: naacpdesmoines.org
• Des Moines Public Library: dmpl.org
• Local news and policy explainers mentioned: Iowa Starting Line, Iowa Capital Dispatch, Des Moines Register
• Des Moines metro school board and city council meeting streams are typically available on each body’s YouTube channel or website

Call to action:

• Register for My City My Health Des Moines, Nov 14: use code MCMH100 at checkout on Zeffy to claim the limited promo.

Show Notes

• 00:01 Welcome and why civic engagement belongs in a health conversation
• 02:00 “Local civics matter the most” and how engagement looks different for everyone
• 04:45 Transportation as a foundation of public health
• 06:30 Commuting, job access, insurance, wages, and downstream health outcomes
• 08:15 Voting mindset for local elections and why school bonds matter for long-term community health
• 10:40 City councils, budgets, sidewalks, housing, pollution, and potholes as health policy
• 12:40 School boards should be nonpartisan, and why parents must track positions and votes
• 13:40 Beyond the ballot: attend meetings, email representatives, set coffee or Zoom
• 16:55 Where to watch meetings and how to find contact lists
• 18:30 Toolkits, newsletters, and right-sized information habits
• 20:20 Join organizations for curated updates, like NAACP Des Moines and interfaith groups
• 21:55 Water quality alerts and why trusted sources matter
• 23:30 Everyday engagement: cleanups, cost savings, and reinvesting in community needs
• 26:00 Libraries as civic health hubs: makerspaces, classes, and small business sparks
• 28:35 Small mindset shifts, big public health impacts
• 30:40 What guests are excited to experience at My City My Health
• 33:05 How to connect with Heather and Victoria

Resources talked about:
2025 DMPS Bond Conversation
Info on the bond
Find your polling location