Mayors encourage residents to combine movement with connection to improve mental health
This May, 51 mayors nationwide will inspire their communities to move, connect, and thrive.
The Move with the Mayor® (MWTM) Mental Health and Physical Activity Challenge kicks off on May 1, with mayors inviting individuals to join a community-wide effort to improve mental health through physical activity and social connection.
In partnership with the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, the American Public Health Association, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mayors will lead or participate in group activities such as walks, bike rides, and fitness classes. They will also encourage residents to join in, stay active, and share their progress on social media using the hashtag #MoveWithTheMayor.
“Communities thrive when people come together,” said John M. Clymer, executive director of the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. “This challenge is about taking simple steps — literally and figuratively — to boost our mental and physical health.”
Clymer also emphasized the broad appeal of the initiative.
“The mix of Republican, Democratic, and independent mayors participating in the Move with the Mayor® Challenge demonstrates that mental health is a nonpartisan priority,” he said.
Research shows that being active on a regular basis reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It also helps alleviate anxiety and depression.
Additionally, social connection — whether through a sunrise yoga session, community gardening project, or a neighborhood pickleball game — can add years to your life and bring a sense of belonging.
Participating in MWTM has been transformative for Tigard, Oregon, Mayor Heidi Lueb. She noted that staying healthy physically and mentally helps her keep up with the demands of her busy schedule.
“Physical and mental well-being is incredibly important,” Lueb said. “You can’t give from an empty bucket. It was a great reminder to our community that they also need to take care of themselves. And it’s more fun when we do it together.”
Mayor Derrick R. Wood of Dumfries, Virginia, emphasized the importance of leading by example.
“I believe that as mayors, we are only as effective as how we empower our people,” Wood said. “It’s about inspiring and uplifting our community. If their mind, body, and soul are in a good place, then we all have a thriving community.”
The challenge coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month, which provides the perfect opportunity to amplify the message that physical activity and social connection are vital to overall well-being.
Lueb shared her creative approach to engaging her community during last year’s challenge.
“I had a lot of fun creating videos to show how simple changes, like walking to a meeting instead of driving, can make a difference,” she said. “Our community appreciated that it doesn’t have to be big changes — just five minutes here and there adds up over time. The feedback was amazing, and it was so rewarding to see people tagging me in their own videos of how they participated.”
Mayor Wood echoed the importance of showing vulnerability and having fun.
I’ve done everything from yoga in the rain to challenging people to push-up contests,” he said. “It’s about showing people you don’t have to be great to start. You just have to start to be great. That energy is contagious, and it gets people excited to join in.”
Participating mayors include:
- Mayor Matt Tuerk – Allentown, PA
- Mayor Angela Caraway – Ansonville, NC
- Mayor Larry Eaton – Athens, TN
- Mayor Brian Jackson – Beverly Hills, MO
- Mayor Scott Singer – Boca Raton, FL
- Mayor Katrina Thompson – Broadview, IL
- Mayor Sue Finkam – Carmel, IN
- Mayor Barbara Foushee – Carrboro, NC
- Mayor Kayce Munyeneh – Cheverly, MD
- Mayor Beverly H. Burks – Clarkston, GA
- Mayor Daniel Rickenmann – Columbia, SC
- Mayor Andrew Ginther – Columbus, OH
- Mayor Rochelle Robinson – Douglasville, GA
- Mayor Derrick Wood – Dumfries, VA
- Mayor Leonardo Williams – Durham, NC
- Mayor Stephanie Terry – Evansville, IN
- Mayor Acquanetta Warren – Fontana, CA
- Mayor Sharon Tucker – Fort Wayne, IN
- Mayor Eric Genrich – Green Bay, WI
- Mayor Rodney S. Craig – Hanover Park Village, IL
- Mayor Michelle Romero – Henderson, NV
- Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba – Jackson, MS
- Mayor Donya Sartor – Jonesboro, GA
- Mayor Victor D. Treviño – Laredo, TX
- Mayor Wood Brown – Largo, FL
- Mayor Denise D. Grant – Lauderhill, FL
- Mayor Keith R. Sydnor – Laurel, MD
- Mayor Bernice Bennett – Lilesville, NC
- Mayor Frank Scott Jr. – Little Rock, AR
- Mayor Jack Bradley – Lorain, OH
- Mayor Will Hill – Louisville, MS
- Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch – Michigan City, IN
- Mayor Chris Jensen – Noblesville, IN
- Mayor Vicki Scaman – Oak Park, IL
- Mayor Chris Barnett – Orion, MI
- Mayor Nicole Milovich-Walters – Palos Park, IL
- Mayor Marie Gallo – Parma Heights, OH
- Mayor Kim A. Thomas – Richmond Heights, OH
- Mayor Kim Norton – Rochester, MN
- Mayor Tara Bedei – Streator, IL
- Mayor Ken Welch – St. Petersburg, FL
- Mayor Jane Castor – Tampa, FL
- Mayor Heidi Leub – Tigard, OR
- Mayor Monroe Nicols IV – Tulsa, OK
- Mayor Amy Bublak – Turlock, CA
- Mayor Lawrence (Tony) Haygood Jr. – Tuskegee, AL
- Mayor Ed Brown – Upper Darby, PA
- Mayor Quentin M. Hart – Waterloo, IA
- Mayor Ruben Pineda – West Chicago, IL
- Mayor Martha Guerrero – West Sacramento, CA
- Mayor Thomas Roach – White Plains, NY
For more information about the challenge, visit nationalforum.org/mwtm.
About Move with the Mayor®
Mayors use Move with the Mayor®, an initiative of the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, to encourage active, healthy living while strengthening individual and community resilience. For 11 years and counting, mayors have been using MWTM messaging; program, policy, and infrastructure recommendations; and other tools to empower and protect community members from health threats and improve cardiovascular and mental health, for all. To learn more, visit nationalforum.org/mwtm.
Media Contact
Amanda Thomas
770-609-0674
amanda.thomas.ic@nationalforum.org
