Health Equity

Citizenship for Health links civic engagement with community efforts to advance health equity. Developed by Wayne State University’s Center for the Study of Citizenship, the program helps residents identify shared health concerns, discuss potential solutions, and decide together how to act. This process recognizes residents’ knowledge and gives them a meaningful role in shaping their community’s health priorities. Since its inception, the program has engaged over 50 residents and contributed to measurable improvements in weight loss and mobility, and improved diets through nutrition education, demonstrating its community impact. By turning conversation into collective action, the program lays the foundation for healthier, more connected communities.

At Conner Creek, this approach brings shared decision-making into conversations about exercise, nutrition, and heart health. Residents engage in learning and activities that promote moving more, making healthier food choices, and supporting one another. By involving residents directly in shaping these efforts, the program fosters trust and a sense of partnership. These experiences reinforce the program’s goal of building healthier habits and sustained civic participation, emphasizing that everyone's voice matters.

Detroit Community Solutions thanks Wayne State University, the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, and Gleaners Food Bank for helping make the Conner Creek program a success. We also celebrate the residents whose participation, ideas, and experiences shaped the program's ongoing development. Moving forward, community members and partners will continue to co-design activities and set priorities, ensuring the program remains responsive to local needs. This collaboration demonstrates how community knowledge and partner support can align around shared health goals. The photos and participant stories below capture the spirit of learning, connection, and collective action.