The City of Rockford’s Health and Human Services is once again participating in this year’s Spring ArtScene, which is a biannual art walk taking place on April 19 and 20. This marks the third year that Rockford Ready has taken part in the art walk, showcasing diverse artists and talents that bring to light the issues surrounding health literacy through art. Anqunette Parham, the executive director of Rockford Ready, leads this health initiative and is excited to bring their unique perspective to the event.
Rockford Ready is currently working on a mural with local artists from Rockford, known as the Fatherless Print Posse. Trinity Rucker, the newest youth poet laureate, will also be present at the event to perform a poem specifically written for the occasion. Organizations like Crusader Health will be present at the event as well, along with the option for attendees to participate in Narcan training.
Narcan training involves the administration of the drug Naloxone, which is used to prevent opiate overdoses. The health department provides this training as a first line of defense against opiate overdoses in the community. SouthSideScene is scheduled to take place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 20 at the Guysie Jenkins Community Resource Center, located at 911 Michigan Ave in Rockford. This event promises to be a unique opportunity to engage with art while raising awareness about health literacy issues.