A “resilient community” is one in which everyone involved recognizes and responds to the varying impact adversity, chronic stress and trauma have on children, adults, and others interacting with the community’s residents. When the fundamentals of mental wellness and resilience are integrated into the culture, community members improve their ability to self-heal and they become more emotionally resilient.

“Formal” services are only a part of a what is needed to address mental and emotional wellness in a large and diverse community. To really shift to a self-healing neighborhood, there must be a 360-degree approach, where everyone understands the basics about the impact that life’s adverse, stressful and traumatic events have on our mental, emotional, and physical health. Then community members can better connect with formal services, creating a circle of healing and support.

The Changemakers Project will initiate this comprehensive approach. The first step is to organize and mobilize a well-informed and sufficiently supported group of neighborhood leaders and influencers who can educate and motivate others in their communities to share the goal of creating a resilient community. As we begin to truly understand how adversity and trauma have shaped our responses, behavior, and mental and physical health, we become empowered to shift to a culture of health for ourselves, for our children and families, and for our neighbors!