WalkGood LA Community Healing

Health care access

City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit) County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Mental healthcare access in LA remains unequal and shaped by race, income, and geography. Communities of color, particularly Black, Latinx, and immigrant populations, report higher levels of psychological distress but face greater barriers to care. According to the 2022 California Health Interview Survey, nearly 1 in 3 low-income adults in LA delayed or avoided mental health services due to cost. Traditional systems feel inaccessible, unwelcoming, or disconnected from their lived experiences.This lack of access also impacts community safety. When people are unsupported emotionally, they are more vulnerable to isolation, conflict, and trauma. The LA County Department of Public Health confirms that exposure to violence and unmet mental health needs are deeply intertwined, affecting both individual well-being and the overall safety of neighborhoods. Our work addresses these challenges as a form of public good, as it builds empathy and promotes social connection amongst participants.

The LA2050 grant will support WalkGood LA’s year-round wellness programs, designed to dismantle barriers to mental health access, especially for underserved communities in Los Angeles. Our approach combines mobile outreach with a place-based hub to meet people where they are and root healing in community care. We bring trauma-informed, culturally resonant programming to public spaces, transforming parks, trails, and sidewalks into trusted wellness environments. At the same time, we operate The WalkGood Yard (The Yard), our creative wellness and yoga studio in Arlington Heights, which serves as an anchor for regular workshops and healing sessions.
Essential programs hosted at The Yard include:
-BreatheGood – weekly yoga and meditation focused on mindfulness, breathwork, and somatic healing.
-RunGood – a weekly 5K walk/run club that promotes movement, accountability, and peer connection.
-YouGood and YouGood Gyal – monthly healing circles for men and women of color, featuring yoga, journaling, sound healing, and facilitated group reflection.
Each offering is led by certified wellness practitioners who reflect the communities we serve. These experiences promote trust, reduce stigma, and provide culturally rooted pathways into care.

WalkGood LA’s work is already demonstrating success. We serve over 12,000 Angelenos each year through our various programs, with participants regularly reporting reduced stress, stronger emotional well-being, and a sense of safety they’ve never experienced in traditional care settings. People often share that they feel “seen, safe, supported,” and say WalkGood is the first space where mental health care “feels like it was made for them.” The Yard has become a trusted space for healing in Arlington Heights, and our digital reach, now exceeding 59 million impressions, has extended that impact far beyond any one location. As this work grows, more neighborhoods will have access to consistent, welcoming spaces where mental health is celebrated, not stigmatized. The result will be a healthier, more connected Los Angeles where public spaces double as healing spaces, and mental health support is no longer a privilege, but a visible, trusted part of everyday life.