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Follow on Google News | One Poem At A Time replaces ads in Louisville's Smoketown Neighborhood with positive photos + poetryBy: Josh Miller "Walking through Smoketown, I was overwhelmed with the signs that filled the community," said poet Hannah Drake, a Cultural Producer & Strategist with IDEAS xLab. "Signs encouraging people to sell their homes for cash, signs encouraging those with diabetes to sell their test strips, billboards for a multitude of lawyers, drug sniffing dogs, among many others." Informed by the community-based participatory nature of Project HEAL (Health. Equity. Art. Learning.), One Poem At A Time was developed by Drake with inspiration, feedback and input from Smoketown residents and community members through arts and culture events, meetings and surveys in 2016 and early 2017. "Through Project HEAL, arts and cultural production become a 'language' with which communities define, develop, and champion their own sustainable strategies for improved well-being," The launch of One Poem At A Time, which is FREE and open to community members on April 1, 2017 includes a guided Smoketown Poetry Walk past many of the new billboards, The Smoketown Monologues, and a conversation focused on bringing together residents, community stakeholders and policy-makers to explore policy and ordinance changes that could restrict negative/predatory advertising in low-income communities like Smoketown. State Representative Attica Scott, Councilperson Barbara Sexton Smith and Director of Metro Louisville's Office for Health & Safety Neighborhoods Rashaad Abdur-Rahman will facilitate the discussion that will further fuel the communities drive toward policy change. "If we are to heal our communities across Kentucky -- from rural to urban -- we must focus on health, equity and justice at the grassroots," "It is our responsibility to help create a safe, healthy environment for ALL our neighbors. Positive messaging reinforces positive choices," said Barbara Sexton Smith, Fourth District Metro Councilwoman of One Poem At A Time. "When children are encouraged to love themselves they are more likely to be compassionate toward others." "The Smoketown Neighborhood Association supports One Poem At A Time's community-based, participatory approach to the development of a positive neighborhood identity with Smoketown residents," shared Randall Weber, President of the Smoketown Neighborhood Association. Following the conversation, Vivian Lasley-Bibbs, Branch Manager and Epidemiologist for the Kentucky Department for Public Health Office of Health Equity presents proclamation from the Governor of Kentucky declaring April as Minority Health Month in the commonwealth. Festivities also include screen printing with Steam Exchange, snacks + water station, health resources and screenings. For more information on the launch of One Poem At A Time visit SmoketownVoice.com (http://www.smoketownvoice.com/ Supporters of Project HEAL and One Poem At A Time include: Health Impact Project Implementation Grant from Pew Charitable Trust and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The Educational Foundation of America Sutherland Foundation KentuckyOne Health Owsley Brown III Jim and Libby Voyles Fund for the Arts New Directions Housing Corporation Institute for Healthy Air, Water and Soil Private donations through Creative Agents of Change Foundation, Inc. End
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