The 21 film project is a special NJ PBS initiative designed to explore what unites us as a state/community during a time of cultural and political division. The project is designed to deepen the network’s reach in every county of the state by reporting on issues impacting the quality of life of a diverse group of New Jerseyans by examining the social determinants that influence each person’s lived experience. Each of the films will serve as a starting point for community engagement and conversation that will hopefully lead to solutions for common quality of life issues.
The CDC defines social determinants of health as “conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play” that create someone’s unique health outcome. These varied conditions lead to dramatically different health profiles for people separated not just by geography but by different incomes, infrastructure or educational opportunities. Using this as a framework, we tease out stories that go beyond physical health to examine the whole person, including their social, financial and cultural lives, and the systems set up to support them. 21 will help answer a central question: “Does where you live in the state of New Jersey affect how well you live?”