Cleveland’s Fairfax neighborhood faces serious health and environmental challenges that disproportionately impact Black residents, including aging homes with lead and mold, and limited access to fresh, nutritious food. These conditions contribute to chronic illnesses like hypertension and asthma, making healthy living a critical concern. “We know that what we eat affects how we live and how long we live,” says Vel Scott, co-founder of New Image Life Skills Academy (NILSA). Driven by this understanding, NILSA teaches residents how to prepare wholesome meals, grows fresh produce in the Purple Oasis Community Garden, and connects neighbors to clean, safe food and air. Despite barriers like poverty and pollution, NILSA’s programs focus on improving health outcomes today while building toward a healthier future. “Our work isn’t just about food — it’s about reclaiming the right to live well in a neighborhood that’s too often overlooked,” Scott emphasizes.
On a one-acre lot across the street from their old club, Don and Vel started Vel’s Purple Oasis.
Founded in 2002 by Vel and Don Scott, New Image Life Skills Academy began as a personal response to health struggles faced by the Scotts in Cleveland’s Fairfax neighborhood. After Don was diagnosed with hypertension and heart failure, Vel shifted their family’s diet toward fresh, whole foods – a change that inspired the group’s focus on nutrition and wellness. They transformed an old home, now called the Don Scott House, into a center of community care. “It’s more than just a building,” Vel says,“it’s a sanctuary where neighbors find peace and purpose.” NILSA runs youth programs like gardening workshops, nutrition classes, and mentorship initiatives that help young people build healthy habits and leadership skills. Partnering with institutions such as Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing, they’re tackling systemic issues through education and community action. Looking ahead, the Vel Scott Healthy You Institute aims to be a vibrant learning hub, offering expanded wellness programs, cooking demonstrations, and environmental health education designed to deepen the community’s resilience and well-being.