Why Walkability is a Civil Rights Issue

"It might surprise some that the 104-year-old civil rights organization has a focus on walkable and bikeable neighborhoods," writes Tanya Snyder. "But it shouldn’t. It stems from the organization’s work on childhood obesity. Nineteen percent of black children between two and five are obese. Black high school girls are two-and-a-half times more likely to be obese than their white counterparts."

“We think of health as the premier civil rights advocacy issue,” said Niiobli Armah, the NAACP’s manager of childhood obesity for their health and wellness initiatives. “We advocate for the built environment so that students can have opportunities for safe physical activity in their neighborhoods.”