Week 16: Staying Active in San Diego

Class Goals:

• Understand how engaging in local cultural and physical activities supports brain health.

• Explore real opportunities in San Diego to participate in enriching, multisensory experiences.

• Identify a personal cultural or physical goal to pursue this month.

Getting involved means being a player, not a spectator. It’s about stepping onto the field of life and culture in your own city. You don’t need to be an expert, just curious and willing to participate. When you engage with your surroundings, you don’t just observe culture you help shape it.

Pay Attention:

🗓️ 1. Use Local Event Websites & Calendars

• San Diego Reader Events: www.sandiegoreader.com/events

• San Diego Union-Tribune Events: events.sandiegouniontribune.com

• Eventbrite – San Diego: www.eventbrite.com → Search "San Diego"

🏛️ 2. Check Community Centers & Libraries

• San Diego Public Library: www.sandiego.gov/public-library → Events include classes, lectures, music, and more

• SD Parks & Recreation Centers: www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation → Look for dance classes, group walks, fitness, arts & crafts, etc.

📱 4. Follow on Social Media

Search or follow:

• @CityofSanDiego

• @sdparksandrec

• Local libraries or neighborhood associations on Facebook or Instagram

• Nextdoor app – Great for hyperlocal events and updates from your immediate area

🙋 5. Ask Around

• Talk to your local librarian, neighbors, or fellow classmates,they often know about hidden gems or recurring activities.

• Ask at your community center or church bulletin board.

🎨 1. Arts Engagement

Definition: Actively participating in creative activities or the arts, whether performing, creating, or discussing.

Examples in San Diego:

• Take a watercolor or ceramics class at Balboa Park’s Spanish Village Art Center

• Join a local book club at the San Diego Public Library

• Attend Old Globe Theatre’s community productions or free summer Shakespeare in the park

• Participate in community writing workshops at libraries or colleges

🏛️ 2. Cultural & Heritage Engagement

Definition: Experiencing or exploring the cultural life of your city through events, institutions, and traditions.

Examples in San Diego:

• Visit the San Diego Museum of Art, Mingei International Museum, or Centro Cultural de la Raza

• Explore Old Town San Diego or Presidio Park for local history and heritage

• Attend cultural festivals like San Diego Filipino-American Festival, Cinco de Mayo in Old Town, or Black History Month events

• Take part in Balboa Park’s Free Tuesdays for museum access

🧘 3. Sports & Physical Activities

Definition: Engaging your body through movement, exercise, or team play—indoors or outdoors.

Examples in San Diego:

• Join a senior yoga, Tai Chi, or Zumba Gold class at a local recreation center

• Walk or hike Mission Trails, Sunset Cliffs, or Torrey Pines Reserve

• Participate in SilverSneakers classes (offered at many gyms for older adults)

• Try pickleball at your local park or community center

🤝 4. Volunteering & Community Groups

Definition: Giving back or connecting through groups, clubs, or civic engagement.

Examples in San Diego:

• Volunteer at San Diego Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, or Friends of the Library

• Join a neighborhood watch, tenants' council, or community garden

• Enroll in continuing education classes through SDCCE (like this one!)

• Get involved with advocacy groups like Surfrider Foundation or environmental clean-ups

🎭 Why It Matters

Many people, especially in underserved communities, miss out on the wellbeing benefits of cultural, social, and volunteer activities not because they lack interest, but because they face barriers like isolation, low confidence, or lack of information.

Social prescribing changes that by:

• Helping people find and access local programs

• Providing encouragement through buddying schemes or community guides

• Recognizing that tailored support—not one-size-fits-all—is key

🧠 Brain Areas Involved in Dancing:

1. Premotor Cortex (Top Left - Blue-Green Area)

   • Function: Plans movements and sends messages to muscles.

   • In Dance: Helps you plan and coordinate your dance moves before you actually perform them.

2. Frontal Lobe (Left - Teal Area)

   • Function: Responsible for decision-making, planning, and emotion regulation.

   • In Dance: Helps with learning choreography, staying focused, and expressing emotion through movement.

3. Thalamus (Center Bottom - Blue Area)

   • Function: Relays sensory and motor signals, and regulates consciousness and alertness.

   • In Dance: Filters and routes movement and sensory information so you stay aware and coordinated.

4. Sensory Cortex (Top Middle - Pink Area)

   • Function: Processes touch, movement, and body position.

   • In Dance: Helps you feel where your body is in space and make adjustments based on sensory input.

5. Parietal Lobe (Top Right - Purple Area)

   • Function: Helps with spatial awareness.

   • In Dance: Lets you understand your position on stage or in relation to others.

6. Basal Ganglia (Middle Right - Yellow Area)

   • Function: Controls movement and emotion.

   • In Dance: Coordinates smooth, flowing movements and helps maintain rhythm and timing.

7. Cerebellum (Bottom Right - Red Area)

   • Function: Controls balance, coordination, and fine-tuned movement.

   • In Dance: Keeps your steps steady, your posture aligned, and your spins graceful.

San Diego has a ton of opportunities to go out dancing! Whether you're into modern dance performances or community dance classes, places like Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater and Malashock Dance offer vibrant programs that keep the local scene alive. There's always something happening, from free online events like AARP’s virtual dance sessions to in-person events around Point Loma and beyond.

Take a moment to think back to your earliest or most memorable food experiences in San Diego. Use the questions below to guide your writing:

• What is the first restaurant you remember ever eating at in San Diego?
  
  

• If you are not originally from San Diego, what became your favorite go-to restaurant here?
  
  

• Describe two memorable food experiences you've had in San Diego. What made them special?
  
  

• Try to explain the flavors and the atmosphere—what did the food taste like? What made the moment stick with you?