Our Work
REACH's physical activity strategy focuses on how the city planning and the environment promotes physical activity. For example: do communities of color have sidewalks or bike lanes? We do this by collaborating with non-profit organizations and other local government entities to engage community with urban and transportation planning and policies. REACH also works with partners to host inclusive community walks and bike rides as part of our Active People, Healthy Multnomah County campaign.
Our hope is to work with our transportation partners so that way they can better assist neighborhoods that have experienced displacement. We want to ensure that the Black and African immigrant/refugee experience is uplifted through this work and able to have an influence on any future models for urban design and transportation policy.
What is Active People, Healthy Multnomah?
Multnomah County is participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) national Active People, Healthy Nation initiative which aims to get:
- 15 million adults from inactive (no aerobic activity) to some moderate-intensity activity every day.
- 10 million adults from some physical activity to meeting the minimum aerobic physical activity guideline.
- 2 million young people from some physical activity to meeting the minimum aerobic physical activity guideline.
How can you participate?
- Move With Us! This summer and fall, REACH is challenging Multnomah County residents to move more by joining a community walk or bike ride listed above. Visit the Move With Us event page for more details on each upcoming event and how to keep track of your activity. Feel free to share!
- Set a reasonable goal to increase your activity. Some people prefer to exercise for longer periods at once while others like to break up their workouts into smaller sessions. This can look like adding a few minutes of movement and exercise throughout your day or participating in an hour or more each week. Find out what works best for you and create a plan.
- Ask family members, friends, and colleagues to join you. Group activities help build community and can make exercise more enjoyable. Having others around you with a shared goal is a great way to stay motivated.
- Download the WalkerTracker App to track your activity minutes. Use program URL: multcoreach
- Check the REACH website or Facebook page regularly for events like community bike rides, walks, challenges and more. (Follow and participate on social media with the #ActivePeopleHealthyMultnomah hashtag.)
If you are interested in learning more or would like to partner with us on some of these initiatives, please feel free to reach out to Multnomah County-REACH's Program Manager, Charlene McGee, MPH at charlene.a.mcgee@multco.us
Who Are Our Physical Activity Partners
External Partners
- Beyond Black
- City of Gresham (COG)
- Portland African-American Leadership Forum (PAALF)
- Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT)
Internal Partners
Policies
- Active Transportation
- Urban Planning
- PSE (Policy/Systems/Environment)
In the Media
Traffic Safety Report
REACH works to highlight the increased risk of traffic incidents and casualties Black and African communities face, particularly as pedestrians. Black and African people (among other groups) are more likely to reside in areas that are unsafe due to realities like the lack of proper safety measures (stoplights, prominent sidewalks) among high speed lanes. REACH is changing this by encouraging and supporting community members to have their voices heard in urban and city planning projects.
With help from our partners and community members, REACH commissioned a report detailing the risks Black and African communities face which led to the Multnomah County Transportation Crash and Safety Report. (See the document at the top of the page.) Visit the Traffic Safety Report page to learn more.