We Mean What We Say

We are intentional with our word choices and we use language to advance comprehensive solutions that support communities in achieving health, safety, and wellbeing. We don’t start with problems because that often conjures up a default understanding that individualized treatment or response are the only options. Instead, we start with community-wide solutions to emphasize that prevention is possible, and that systems and structures are accountable for our collective health, safety, and wellbeing. Here are some examples:

Environments for healthy eating and active living: We use language focused on how community environments shape healthy eating and active living instead of using the terms "obesity" and "obesity prevention." "Obesity" often blames and shames individuals and invokes solutions like bariatric surgery. By describing healthy eating and active living environments, we place the emphasis on structural solutions like farmers’ markets, accessible parks and green spaces, and safe places for kids to play, to name a few.
Community safety: We have always encouraged language about preventing violence before it starts, and about safety, instead of terms like "violence prevention" and "youth violence prevention." The phrase "youth violence prevention" conflates youth with crime and violence, positioning young people as the problem and invoking law enforcement and criminal justice strategies rather than comprehensive investments in young people and their communities. Framing around "community safety" instead of "violence prevention" has proven more effective in advancing prevention policies and solutions.
People-first, community-first language: When referring to groups that have been marginalized, disenfranchised, and oppressed by historical and current policies and systems, we avoid language that reduces communities to the outcomes of those conditions alone. Communities are also beautiful, resilient, connected, and capable. We also emphasize that marginalization, disenfranchisement, and oppression are not inherent states, but actions imposed upon communities by specific systems and structures that produce harm.
Prevention and an affirmative vision: We have shifted from talking primarily about preventing illnesses and injuries because that kind of framing can emphasize after-the-fact responses or more narrow approaches without leading to upstream prevention. We support language that affirms a positive long-term vision and uplifts strategies enabling communities to thrive.
Wellbeing over illness: We have noticed that some language conflates desired outcomes with illness or treatment. For example, the word "health" is often equated with the concept of healthcare, yet access to healthcare only accounts for about 10% of whether people are healthy. Similarly, "mental health" is often used to mean mental illness or mental health problems. That is why we promote the term "wellbeing" to reinforce the positive state of mental health and wellbeing we are working toward.

Across our website and in our tools and resources, you will find that we do not always use standard language common in public health or the public sphere. Sometimes we get pushback. Sometimes our wording may seem long or even awkward. But we believe it is worth it. Language is powerful, and when we say something, we mean it.

We Mean What We Say

Resources

Need Our Help?