Physical Activity Projects
Body & Soul Project Enhancement Project (2006)
For 12 months, we trained coordinators and peer counselors from five Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti-area churches to develop and implement physical activity programs. The activities supplemented the National Body & Soul Program. We also developed a Counselors/Church Physical Activity Program Development Guide. After training, each church had the skills to plan and implement their own physical activity programs.
We plan to expand this project to other greater Washtenaw County-area faith-based organizations.
Cultural Rhythms: Dance and Music from Around the World (pdf)
The Program for Multicultural Health sponsors this annual event, which emphasizes moving your body through dance and to music.
Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Arab-American Women (2004)
Our needs assessment of Arab-American women identified several barriers to a healthy lifestyle and physical activity:
- the need for privacy while exercising
- feeling unsafe while walking in their neighborhood since the events of 9/11
- family obligations.
We collaborated with a local women’s fitness facility that would accommodate privacy concerns, found solutions and made possible networking with friends for childcare to free up time for out-of-the-home exercising.
We also worked with participants to develop a low-to-moderate aerobic exercise routine using the cultural dance format and steps of Debka, a traditional dance performed at weddings and other cultural gatherings.
Juventud Por la Salud/Youth for Health Project (2002)
To engage Latin American youth, we used soccer as our physical activity component.
Move Your Body (2005)
Move Your Body, designed for children ages 5 to 8 years old, takes an innovative cultural approach to teaching children about physical activity for all seasons.
Senior Physical Activity Workshops (Ongoing)
We designed these workshops to meet the physical challenges of older, underserved senior citizens. Culturally appealing music accompanies the exercises. Each session includes a brief explanation about safety, light warm-ups, stretching, safe and low-impact aerobic routine, and a cool-down period.
Sisters Striving Towards Balanced Health: A Cultural Approach to Weight Management in African-American and Mexican-American Women (2003)
We specifically designed background music for physical activity routines to interest these two cultures, incorporating music with gospel roots into the African-American workouts, and Latin music and dance moments into the Mexican-American routines.
