Almost five years ago, I gave up writing in this space because I didn’t have much left to say and I thought there were other voices that needed to be heard. The experiences of the last couple of months, however, have compelled me to speak up again. This platform is a place that I can use my voice, small as it is, to counteract the really devastating changes that are happening to our country — the opportunity to use my voice in the voting booth is way too far off.

Today I’m most concerned about the state of public health in America. Yesterday we saw lines of health agency employees locked out of their offices, finding out when they showed up for work that they were out of a job or put on leave. The advisory committees that help keep our food supply safe and determine the makeup of next year’s flu shots have either been disbanded or had their meetings cancelled. Research dollars have been cut off from the academic centers where new treatments for cancer or heart disease might be discovered.

Who is protecting us, the people, if all these institutions are dismantled? I’ve never been a person who lacked trust for the government, but my trust is going to be really shaken if these changes aren’t overturned. So, my goal here is to provide you with information, links and resources where you can still find trustworthy health information, and to amplify the voices of those who are fighting for us.

One of those organizations is the American Public Health Association, which has introduced a new undertaking, For Our Health, to bring together people in the public health sphere, and defend evidence-based health initiatives. Last week, they wrote to Congress about the cuts to public health agencies, saying in part,

Public health is not a partisan issue—it is a core responsibility of the government and essential
to our nation’s security, stability, and prosperity. HHS and CDC play an irreplaceable role in
safeguarding American lives, yet their mission is sabotaged by neglect and misinformation at
the highest levels. Failure to act now will result in preventable suffering, deaths, and the further
deterioration of our nation’s standing as a global leader in health and innovation.

I encourage you to check out For Our Health, and to use your voices too. Let’s protect ourselves and each other.