The Carl Henry Nacht Fellowship

Fellowship Overview

The Dr. Carl Henry Nacht Health Fellowship was founded in 2011 by Mary Beth Kelly, in honor of her husband Dr. Carl Henry Nacht. Henry used New York City's public spaces to stay healthy: walking through its neighborhoods, running on its streets and bicycling to his office, the hospital and to homebound patients. The Fellowship honors Henry's dedication to improving people's lives by promoting the city as a place for New Yorkers to engage in healthy activity. It strengthens Transportation Alternatives' mission to reclaim street space for people by demonstrating the public health outcomes achievable when streets prioritize biking, walking and transit.

The design, management and enforcement of city streets determine, to a large degree, the health and well-being of its citizenry. New York City's 6,000 miles of streets and 12,000 miles of sidewalks are 80 percent of the city's public space. How we use that space has everything to do with how active, healthy and happy we are every day.

Building upon our Nacht Fellowship research initiatives in Central Brooklyn, Transportation Alternatives seeks an "Active Living Partner" to work with us for a nine month period to improve neighborhood safety and promote physical activity on streets in Brownsville. In 2013, T.A. will collaborate with the Brownsville Partnership (an initiative of Community Solutions) to implement community-based recommendations derived from the work of the first two Dr. Carl Henry Nacht Fellows.

T.A. will begin selection of the Active Living Partner in early 2013. The ideal applicant is a resident of public housing in or near Brownsville who possesses an interest in active transportation and health, and a track record of involvement in the Brownsville community.