Human Rights International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Personal Reflections on the Fight Against Antisemitism It always strikes me how well adherents of antisemitism know their history. The forces that led to the Holocaust—which was so unprecedented that the world had to invent a new word, genocide, in an attempt to somehow capture the scale of the atrocity—are the same ones that sparked anti-Jewish crimes thousands of years ago as well as just a few days ago. The times may change, the circumstances may change, the details may change—but the beliefs that lead to these acts of violence remain the same. If the forces of antisemitism remain willing to learn about the past and act on their beliefs, shouldn’t those of us who oppose them do the same?
Reflecting a Year Later: When the Capitol is in Your Backyard Washington isn’t just a place where laws are made or politicians bicker over legislative agendas. It’s more than the landmarks and lawmakers and drama that it’s known for. D.C. is filled with diverse neighbors and communities helping each other out in good times and bad. It’s the cozy neighborhood bar where everyone knows your name, the beautiful row houses, vibrant shops and restaurants and scenic paths filled with locals’ favorite spots.
US Health More Than Checking Boxes: Why Data Collection Systems Must Prioritize Equity As many individuals of MENA descent, like me, continue to be required to tick the “White” or “Other” checkboxes on forms, including on medical forms, the lack of racial or ethnic identifiers has limited the ability to collect accurate health data and has made it difficult to measure the impact of the pandemic on MENA communities. Can we truly determine how many people who self-identify as Middle Eastern or North African have been affected by COVID-19 without accurate data?
Global Health Omicron Should Serve As a Wake-Up Call to the Consequences of Vaccine Inequities This does not need to be a zero-sum game. We can all do our part to stop the spread of this virus by getting ourselves and our loved ones vaccinated when the opportunity arises. But with that privilege should come the responsibility to advocate for our governments to do the right thing, including releasing advanced purchases they will not need, and donating funds, and excess doses, to the COVAX facilities.
US Health The Reality of Systemic Racism in Healthcare How do we fix a system that was never designed to include people of color in the first place? I again realize that I don’t have the answer to that, but what I do know is that if we can come to a place of agreement that says we are aware of the problem, then we can map out a plan to reimagine our healthcare system. This requires building a health care system that reflects the growing diversity of America.
Children's Health and Wellbeing We Were Lucky Enough to Have Prenatal Care that Saved Our Lives. It Shouldn’t Be About Luck. The problem is that maternal health care is inequitable. For most, whether you and your child live or die during the birthing process is not about need, or about your right to good health, but about who you are, where you come from and how much money you make.