SCIENCE AND SERVICE HEREVI AT N.
FOUR PEOPLE WHO EMBODY EXCELLENT
LEADERSHIP, FOUR PEOPLE WHO HAD
THE TENACITY, THE GRIT, THE
PASSION, AND THE COURAGE TO
NAVIGATE ROCKY SHOALS IN PURSUIT
OF THEIR DREAMS.
AND THEY DID SO WITH GRACE,
ELEGANCE, BENENEVOLENCI.
EACH HAS SCALED BARRIERS WHILE
BUILDING A PATH FORWARD FOR THE
NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS
AND ADMINISTRATORS AT NIH.
WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IS
MONUMENTAL.
THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE
THEIR GOALS DURING ONE OF THE
MOST STORIED ERAS IN OUR GREAT
NATION'S HISTORY MAKES THEM
REMARKABLE.
SO, BEFORE I SPEAK TO THEIR
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, I WANT TO TAKE
A FEW MINUTES TO PLACE US IN THE
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA, PLAYING
AN EXCERPT OF A SPEECH BY THE
LATE GREAT REVEREND DR. MARTIN
LUTHER KING TO GROUP OF A GROUP
OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN
CLEVELAND, OHIO, IN 1967.
>> CRY OUT WITH THE ELOQUENT
POET, BLACK COMPLEXION CANNOT
FORFEIT NATURE'S CLAIMS, SKIN
MAY DIFFER BUT AFFECTION DWELLS
IN BLACK AND WHITES THE SAME.
IF I WAS SO TALL AS TO REACH THE
POLE TO GRASP THE OCEAN AT A
SPAN I MUST BE MEASURED BY MY
SOUL, THE MIND IS A STANDARD OF
THE MAN.
SO, SET OUT TO DO A GOOD JOB AND
DO THAT JOB SO WELL THAT THE
LIVING, THE DEAD, THE UNBORN
COULDN'T DO IT ANY BETTER.
>> SO, IT IS MY HONOR AND
PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO
OUR FOUR NIH TRAILBLAZERS, DR. J
TAYLOR HARDEN, DR. KENNETH
OLDEN, DR. VIVIAN W. PINN, AND
DR. NATHAN STINSON JR.
[APPLAUSE]
DR. HARDEN BEGAN HER
PROFESSIONAL CAREER AS A SECOND
ALL RIGHT IN THE ARMY NURSE
CORPS, ONE OF THE FIRST TO APPLY
FOR AND RECEIVE TRANSFER OF
SERVICE TO THE U.S. AIR FORCE
ACTIVE RESERVE AS A FLIGHT
NURSE.
SHE SERVED AT ANDREWS AIR FORCE
BASE, CASTLE, LACKLAND, MATHER,
McGWIRE AND SHEPARD, A
VIETNAM-ERA VETERAN, AS A
MEDICAL CO-DIRECTOR COMPLETED
SEVERAL PATIENT AIR EVACUATION
MISSIONS.
IN 1994, SHE BECOMES A TENURED
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH
SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO.
AND THIS CULMINATES AN ACADEMIC
CAREER THAT SHE BEGAN IN 1977.
IN 1995 BECOMES THE FIRST AND
ONLY FACULTY MEMBER TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE COMPETITIVE
NIH EXTRAMURAL ASSOCIATES
PROGRAM.
FROM 1994 TO 1997, SHE'S A
HEALTH NURSE SCIENC
ADMINISTRATOR, NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF NURSING RESEARCH.
FROM 1997 TO 2011 SHE'S A SENIOR
SCIENTIST AT THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE ON AGING.
AND SHE'S THE FIRST AND ONLY
NURSE TO SERVE AS BOTH ASSISTANT
TO DIRECTOR FOR SPECIAL
POPULATIONS AND ACTING DEPUTY
DIRECTOR.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL
OF HER NUMEROUS HONORS BUT WE
DID WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE
BREADTH AND SCOPE OF HER
ACHIEVEMENTS.
NEXT I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE DR.
KENNETH OLDEN, 1991-2005 WAS
DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH SCIENCES AND NATIONAL
TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM.
HE IS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN
TO BECOME DIRECTOR OF ONE OF THE
NIH INSTITUTES, WHEN HE STEPPED
DOWN FROM THAT POSITION HE
RETURNED TO HIS LAB AT NIEHS, HE
BECOMES A VISITING PROFESSOR AT
THE HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC
HEALTH, AND IN 2008 GOES TO NEW
YORK CITY AND BECOMES THE
FOUNDING DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF
PUBLIC HEALTH AT CUNY, CITY
UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.
FROM 2012-2016, HE'S DIRECTOR OF
THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN THE
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY, EPA.
AND HERE ARE SOME OF HIS HONORS
AND AWARDS.
NEXT WE HAVE DR. VIVIAN W. PINN.
1967, DR. PINN IS THE ONLY
AFRICAN AMERICAN AND THE ONLY
WOMAN IN HER CLASS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF
MEDICINE.
IN 1982, SHE BECOMES THE FIRST
AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN IN THE
UNITED STATES TO CHAIR AN
ACADEMIC PATHOLOGY DEPARTMENT.
FROM 1991-1994 SHE IS THE FIRST
FULL-TIME DIRECTOR OF THE NIH
OFFICE OF RESEARCH ON WOMEN'S
HEALTH, AN OFFICE WHICH SHE
ESTABLISHED.
FROM 1994-2011 SHE'S ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR OF NIH FOR WOMEN'S
HEALTH RESEARCH.
AND IN 2011 SHE'S NAMED SENIOR
SCIENTIST EMERITA AT THE NIH
FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL CENTER.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE NUMEROUS
HONORS AND AWARDS SHE HAS
RECEIVED OVER HER CAREER.
NEXT WE HAVE DR. NATHAN STINSON
JR.
DR. STINSON BEGAN HIS CAREER
WITH THE FEDERAL PUBLIC HEALTH
SERVICE, COMES TO NIH IN 2007,
IN WHAT WAS THEN THE NATIONAL
CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND
HEALTH DISPARITIES, NOW THE
NIMHD, THE INSTITUTE.
FROM 2008-2009 HE'S THE ACTING
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR FOR
INTRAMURAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS,
FROM 2010 TO 2012 HE'S ACTING
DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF
EXTRAMURAL ACTIVITIES AND
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMS, FROM
2012-2013 HE'S ACTING DIRECTOR
OF THE DIVISION OF SCIENTIFIC
PROGRAMS.
2013-2014, ACTING DEPUTY
DIRECTOR FOR STRATEGIC
SCIENTIFIC PLANNING AND PROGRAM
COORDINATION.
2012-2015 HE WAS DIRECTOR OF
DIVISION OF EXTRAMURAL
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMS, AND HE
CURRENTLY SINCE 2015 HAS BEEN
DIRECTOR, DIFFERENCE OF
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND POPULATION
SCIENCE.
AND I HAVE ONE EXTRA SLIDE FOR
DR. STINSON.
AND THAT IS JUST -- I WANT TO
NOT ONLY ACKNOWLEDGE HIS HONORS,
THESE ARE SOME I SELECTED OUT,
BUT HIS SERVICE RECORD IS RATHER
EXTRAORDINARY.
IN 1998, HE WAS PART OF VICE
PRESIDENT GORE'S U.S./RUSSIAN
JOINT COMMISSION ON ECONOMIC AND
TECHNOLOGIC COOPERATION.
1989-1995 WAS PART OF THE PUBLIC
HEALTH SERVICES DISASTER MEDICAL
ASSISTANCE TEAM, SERVED ON
SEVERAL MISSIONS..
1992-2005 IN GUANTANAMO BAY,
CUBA, AFTER THE MASS HAITIAN
REFUGEE IMMIGRATION.
AFTER HURRICANE CHARLEY ON THE
GULF COAST OF FLORIDA, AND IN
KATRINA, MISSISSIPPI AND
ALABAMA. THESE FOUR INDIVIDUALS
ON THIS STAGE REPRESENT
EXCELLENCE, AND AT THE HIGHEST
LEVELS, AND WE'RE GOING TO HONOR
THEM TODAY AND I'M SO HAPPY TO
BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THEIR
FLOWERS.
I'M GOING TO CALL MY COLLEAGUETY
KIANA ATKINS BACK TO THE STAGE
TO MODERATE.
THEY HAVE ALL HAD A MAJOR
INFLUENCE ON MY CAREER.
I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY
WITHOUT THEM AND COUNT MYSELF
AMONG THE MANY FORTUNATE
HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED
MINORITIES TO HAVE BENEFITED
FROM THEIR WORK AND WITNESS.
[APPLAUSE]
>> HELLO AGAIN.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
BEFORE I START TO MODERATE THE
SESSION, I WOULD ALSO JUST LIKE
TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO DR.
BERTAGNOLLI.
SHE COULD NOT BE WITH US TODAY.
HOWEVER, SHE REALLY TRIED TO,
AND SHE WISHED SHE COULD SHARE
AND BE ABLE TO WELCOME AND
SUPPORT.
AGAIN, SHE WAS UNABLE BUT WE
WANT TO THANK HER FOR MAKING THE
THINGS THAT SHE DID HAPPEN,
HAPPEN FOR US.
SO, I'M GOING TO START WITH THE
CAREER JOURNEYS.
YOUR CAREER JOURNEYS AND ASK DR.
OLDEN TO START THE PANEL FIRST
AND WE'LL MOVE CLOSER FURTHER
TOWARDS ME.
SO, THE FIRST QUESTION WE'D LIKE
TO KNOW, IS MORE ABOUT YOUR
CAREER JOURNEYS AT NIH.
DURING YOUR TENURE, YOUR CAREERS
HERE, WHAT DID YOU FIND TO BE
THE MOST CHALLENGING AND THE
MOST REWARDING?
>> WELL, WHEN I INTERVIEWED FOR
THE POSITION AS DIRECTOR FOR
NIEHS WITH DR. HEALEY, SHE ASKED
ME WHAT WOULD I MAKE AS MY
NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IF I WAS TO
BE SELECTED AS DIRECTOR OF
NIEHS.
I TOLD HER TWO THINGS.
FIRST, I WOULD MAKE THE
INSTITUTE RESPONSIVE TO THE
NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,
NUMBER ONE.
AND NUMBER TWO, MY VISION OF
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH WAS
BROADER, MORE EXPANSIVE, THAN
FOCUSED ON CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL
AGENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT.
THAT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF
HEALTH, IN MY ESTIMATION, WERE
MAJOR PART OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE
DOING IN NIEHS.
AND IF I WAS TO BECOME DIRECTOR,
THAT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF
HEALTH WOULD BE ONE OF THE
PROGRAMS THAT WE WOULD DEVELOP.
AND I WOULD SAY DR. HEALEY AND
DR. DRAHONI AND DR. COLLINS,
THANK YOU, WELL COLLINS WASN'T
THERE, DR. VARMUS, ALL SUPPORTED
THAT EFFORT.
SO I THINK IT WAS A JOY TO
INTRODUCE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF
HEALTH INTO ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
.
IN 1991, DAVID WILLIAMS AT
HARVARD DID A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
OF THE NUMBER OF PAPERS BEING
PUBLISHED ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS
OF HEALTH THAT MENTIONED JUST
THOSE TWO WORDS.
IT TURNS OUT THERE WERE EIGHT
PAPERS AT THAT TIME.
BASED ON OUR INVESTMENTS, PLUS
OTHERS, AND WE GOT THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCE INVOLVED,
THERE ARE NOW HUNDREDS OF PAPERS
ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF
HEALTH.
AND THERE ARE NOW DISCUSSIONS TO
INCLUDE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF
HEALTH INTO PRECISION MEDICINE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE SOCIAL
ENDPOINTS CAN BE IDENTIFIED,
JUST AS DRIVER MUTATION CAN BE
IDENTIFIED, AND SO I'M EXCITED
AND PLEASED THAT I'M AROUND TO
SEE HOW AFTER 30 OR SO YEARS,
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IS
NOW A MAJOR PART OF
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
>> THANK YOU, DR. OLDEN.
DR. HARDEN?
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION.
WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE ON AGING, I KNEW I HAD
FOUND A GREAT HOME.
ONE OF THE BARRIERS, SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES AT THAT TIME WHEN I
ARRIVED DEALT WITH THIS NOTION
OF AN ISM.
WE ALL KNOW ABOUT SEXISM.
WE KNOW ABOUT RACISM.
BUT AT THAT TIME, AND AS WE
CONTINUE TO THIS VERY DAY, WE
CONFRONT ISSUES AROUND AGEISM.
WHEN I JOINED THE NIA, AS I SAID
BEFORE, I KNEW I WAS AT HOME
BECAUSE THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO
WERE QUITE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT
THAT PARTICULAR ISM, AGEISM.
I KNEW WITH THAT KIND OF
BACKGROUND THEY COULD UNDERSTAND
PERHAPS MY BACKGROUND OF RACISM.
SO AS WE CONFRONTED ISSUES OF
AGEISM AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE
ON AGING, WE WERE ABLE TO
ADDRESS A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES.
FOR OLDER ADULTS THERE WAS A
SITUATION OF DISCRIMINATION JUST
LIKE PEOPLE LIKE ME HAD
CONFRONTED.
WE ALSO HAD ISSUES FOR OLDER
ADULTS WITH SEPARATION, AGAIN
GIVEN MY HISTORY DEFINITELY
UNDERSTOOD THE CHALLENGES AND
BARRIERS WHEN ONE IS CONFRONTED.
AND YOU THINK ABOUT EVEN TO THIS
DAY, OLDER ADULTS WITHOUT
FAMILIES ARE STILL SOMEWHAT
SEPARATED WHEN THEY NEED CARE AT
THE END OF LIFE.
THEY ENDS UP IN ASSISTED CARE
FACILITIES, ASSISTED LIVING
FACILITIES, AND NURSING HOMES,
WHERE THEY ARE OFTEN SEPARATED
AND SEGREGATED AT TIMES.
THERE'S ALSO THIS ISSUE OF
DISCRIMINATION, AND
UNFORTUNATELY IT'S PLAYING OUT
THIS VERY DAY IN OUR NATIONAL
POLITICS, THAT AGEISM IS
SURFACING IN OUR NATIONAL
DEBATE.
WE REALLY HAVE A REAL NEED FOR
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
AS WE CONTINUE TO CONFRONT THE
BARRIERS NOT ONLY FOR AGE BUT
FOR RACE AND FOR GENDER.
THESE WERE BARRIERS, CHALLENGES
IF YOU WILL, WHEN I ARRIVED.
WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THESE
ISSUES TODAY.
>> THANK YOU, DR. HARDEN.
DR. STINSON?
>> I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES HAS BEEN THE NIH
CULTURE.
CULTURE IS LEARNED.
IT'S SHARED.
IT'S SYMBOLIC.
AND IT'S ALSO INTEGRATED INTO
THE FABRIC OF, YOU KNOW, SOCIETY
OR ORGANIZATIONS.
BUT IT'S NOT STATIC.
I MEAN, IT'S DYNAMIC.
IT'S NOT TOO LONG AGO THAT THERE
WERE TOPICS LIKE MINORITY
HEALTH, HEALTH DISPARITIES,
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH,
THAT HAD VERY LITTLE CURRENCY,
YOU KNOW, AT NIH.
BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE
HAPPENED OVER THE LAST, YOU
KNOW, THREE OR SO YEARS
UNFORTUNATELY, GEORGE FLOYD, THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC, HAS REALLY
CAUSED A SEISMIC SHIFT, YOU
KNOW, AT NIH WHERE THERE'S A
GREATER APPRECIATION AND
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT.
NIH HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS
BEHEMOTH OF A BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH BUT NOW THERE'S OTHER
TYPES OF RESEARCH THAT HAVE
TAKEN ON A NEW SIGNIFICANCE, IN
THE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE
HEALTH OF EVERYONE IN THE
COUNTRY.
TWO EXAMPLES.
ONE IS CEAL, COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT ALLIANCE, WHERE
COVID-19 HIT THE WORLD AND THE
DIRECTOR OF NIH TASKED DR. PEREZ
ESTABLE OF NIMHD AND DR. GARY
GIBBONS OF NHLBI TO COME UP WITH
FULL-COURT PRESS TO ENSURE
INDIVIDUALS IN
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED
COMMUNITIES HAD ACCESS TO
TESTING FOR COVID, AND COULD
PARTICIPATE IN THE INEVITABLE
CLINICAL TRIALS FOR VACCINES AND
FOR TREATMENTS.
AND THEN THERE'S COMPASS,
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO
ADVANCE SCIENCE FOR SOCIETY,
WHERE THE NIH COMMON FUND OUT OF
THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR IS
INVESTING TENS OF MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS
TO PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT TO
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
AND THEY DECIDE WHO THEIR
ACADEMIC PARTNERS ARE.
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT CONTROL
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
INTERVENTION IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES.
THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ENGAGE
DIRECTLY WITH NIH, AS FAR AS THE
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT
THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, SEEING IN
THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THERE WAS A TIME NOT LONG AGO I
WOULD HAVE BET ANYTHING THAT I
WOULD NEVER SEE ANYTHING LIKE
THAT AT NIH.
BUT THAT'S THE CHANGE IN THE
CULTURE.
THERE'S MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE, FOR SURE.
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
BUT THIS IS A DIFFERENT, YOU
KNOW, THIS IS A DIFFERENT NIH
THAN IT WAS BEFORE BECAUSE
THERE'S A GREATER INCLUSIVITY
AND EMBRACEMENT OF A WIDER
ASPECT OF RESEARCH.
AND ULTIMATELY THIS WILL BE TO
THE BENEFIT OF EVERYONE IN THIS
COUNTRY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> RECOGNIZING THAT HE OF THE
FOUR OF US IS THE ONLY ONE WHO
IS STILL EMPLOYED AT THE NIH,
BUT THEN THAT KIND OF OPENS UP
THE FLOOR A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE
WE CAN SAY A BIT MORE ABOUT
MAYBE WHAT WE'RE THINKING
ALTHOUGH I'M SURE HE WAS HONEST
IN WHAT HE GAVE IN HIS REMARKS.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT WHEN I
CAME IN 1991, AS DR. OLDEN
POINTED OUT, DR. HEALEY WAS THE
DIRECTOR.
THAT WAS GOOD BECAUSE I HAD
KNOWN HER SINCE SHE WAS A
MEDICAL STUDENT AND ACTUALLY
TAUGHT HER, WITH THE PRESS HAD A
GREAT JOB WITH CALLING IT THE
OLD GIRLS NETWORK BECAUSE TALKED
SO MUCH ABOUT THE OLD BOYS
NETWORK.
ALSO BECAUSE DR. OLDEN HAD BEEN
HEAD OF THE CANCER CENTER AT
HOWARD WHERE I HAD BEEN CHAIR OF
PATHOLOGY BEFORE COMING HERE.
IN FACT HE WAS THE ONE THAT
HELPED INTRODUCE OUR TESTING FOR
BREAST CANCER, HORMONE LEVELS
FOR US.
SO I KNEW HIM FROM HOWARD.
AND KNOWING HE WAS THE FIRST
INSTITUTE DIRECTOR AT NIH, HE
BROKE A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES
AND A LOT OF CEILINGS THAT SOME
OF US COMING ALONG BEHIND HIM
HAD TO FACE.
SO WE OWE HIM A DEBT OF
GRATITUDE BECAUSE HE CAME ON AS
DIRECTOR OF NIEHS, DID A BANG-UP
JOB LEADING THAT, NO COMPROMISES
IN ANYTHING.
AND REALLY SORT OF SET STANDARDS
THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE
REST OF US TO COME ON AND DO
WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE DR. HEALEY
AS DIRECTOR.
THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH ON
WOMEN'S HEALTH WAS BRAND NEW.
ONE NICE THING, THEY HAD NOBODY
TO COMPARE ME TO BECAUSE NOBODY
HAD EVER DONE IT BEFORE.
BUT IT ALSO WAS A CHALLENGE FOR
ME BECAUSE IN DEFINING THE ROLE
AND EVENTUALLY DEFINING WHAT THE
POSITION DESCRIPTION WAS, I
NEEDED TO DELIVER AND SHOW
SOMETHING OF SCIENTIFIC
CONTRIBUTION TO THE NIH TO
SUSTAIN THAT OFFICE.
ONE OF MY GREATEST CHALLENGES
WAS ACTUALLY BECAUSE THAT OFFICE
WAS REALLY FIRST SEEN AS THE
OFFICE TO ENSURE THE INCLUSION
OF WOMEN, AND OF PEOPLE OF -- OF
MINORITIES, AS WAS WORDED THEN,
IN CLINICAL RESEARCH STUDIES
FUNDED BY THE NIH.
AND WE ACTUALLY WANTED TO EXPAND
THAT TO NOT JUST BEING A
MONITORING OFFICE BUT A POLICY
OFFICE AND A RESEARCH OFFICE.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH
DR. HEALEY SORT OF SAYING GO FOR
IT BECAUSE SHE WAS INTERESTED IN
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND ALLOWED US TO
GO FORWARD.
SHE JUST SAID KEEP HER INFORMED,
DON'T LET HER BE SURPRISED AT
SOMETHING BY HEARING IT FROM A
REPORTER, TO MAKE SURE SHE KNEW
BIT. -- ABOUT IT.
SHE WAS SUPPORTIVE OF EFFORTS TO
INCREASE THOSE OF US OF COLOR AS
WELL AS WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
POSITIONS AT THE NIH.
AND I REALLY ENJOYED SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT SHE DID.
SHE HAD MEETINGS WERE
CONGRESSMEN STOKES, LOUIS
STOKES, ON THE HILL THEN.
AND HE WOULD HAVE MEETINGS WITH
HER, I THINK ABOUT TWICE A YEAR.
AND I REMEMBER HIM EXPRESSING
HOW PLEASED HE WAS TO SEE THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT
SHE NOW HAD IN HER
ADMINISTRATION WHEN SHE WOULD
BRING ALL OF US WITH HER.
I REMEMBER LATER NIH DIRECTOR
WHO WAS GOING FOR THAT MEETING,
I SORT OF ASKED HIM, AM I GOING
TO GET TO GO, AND I WAS TOLD I
WAS NOT NEEDED.
IN FACT THOSE MEETINGS NO LONGER
WENT FORWARD AFTER THAT.
I WON'T CALL THE NAME OF THAT
DIRECTOR BUT I CAN RECALL THAT
VIVIDLY.
SO, I HAVE SEEN AS WE MOVE
FORWARD, WE HAVE MOVED FORWARD
QUITE A BIT AT NIH, BUT THERE'S
STILL SOME AREAS THAT
HISTORICALLY WE SORT OF SEE
REPEAT THEMSELVES.
I HAVE TO SAY ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES I HAD IN THE OFFICE
RESEARCH ON WOMEN'S HEALTH, IT
WAS SEEN AS A POLICY OFFICE.
WE SET UP A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR
RESEARCH BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I
WANTED TO DO WAS TO MAKE SURE
WHEN WE WERE ADDRESSING WOMEN'S
HEALTH THAT WE WERE ADDRESSING
THE HEALTH OF ALL WOMEN.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE
WERE LOOKING AT CAREERS FOR
WOMEN THAT MANY OF OUR
CONSTITUENTS POINT OUT WHICH I
REALLY KNEW AND THAT IS THAT
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MIGHT
WORK FOR WOMEN IN GENERAL MIGHT
NOT ALWAYS BE HELPFUL FOR WOMEN
OF COLOR.
SO, I REALLY WANTED TO SET UP A
SPECIAL GROUP TO LOOK AT WOMEN
OF COLOR, AND THEIR CAREERS AND
WHAT NIH NEEDED TO DO OR SHOULD
BE DOING TO BETTER ENHANCE AND
SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN
OF COLOR.
SO, WITHIN OUR COMMITTEE ON
WOMEN IN BIOMEDICAL CAREERS, I
ASKED DR. TAYLOR HARDEN IF SHE
WOULD CHAIR A SUBGROUP FOR US ON
WOMEN OF COLOR.
AND I HATE TO TELL YOU, I GUESS
THIS IS WHAT THE SIGN OF THE
TIMES WAS, THIS WAS LATE '90s,
ABOUT 2000.
SO, WHEN WE PRESENTED THIS TO
THE COMMITTEE, WE DIDN'T GET
DISCUSSIONS OF WHY WAS THIS
IMPORTANT, WHY DID WE NEED TO DO
THAT.
IT WAS, WHY ARE YOU GOING TO
CALL THEM PEOPLE OF COLOR?
HOW WILL THEY KNOW IF THEY ARE A
PERSON OF COLOR OR NOT?
AND WE HAD THIS WHOLE MEETING,
JUST WENT ON THE TACK OF WHY ARE
YOU GOING TO LABEL IT PEOPLE OF
COLOR?
WON'T THAT BE INSULTS?
I FINALLY JUST SAID, WE OF COLOR
WILL KNOW WE ARE OF COLOR AND
LET'S GO FORWARD.
TAYLOR LED THAT.
I THINK THAT COMMITTEE HAS
CONTINUED.
MARIE BERNARD HEADED THAT.
I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S STILL
DOING THAT NOW BUT LOOKING FOR
ISSUES OF WOMEN OF COLOR FOR ME
WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THERE WERE WAS ATTENTION TO
DIVERSITY OF WOMEN IN ALL OF THE
PROGRAMS OF THE OFFICE OF
RESEARCH ON WOMEN'S HEALTH.
I WON'T GO INTO MORE THINGS BUT
I WANTED TO POINT OUT WHAT YOU
SEE BEFORE US, EACH OF US HAVE
OUR OWN CAREERS, OUR OWN
CHALLENGES.
WE HAD OUR OWN WAYS OF DEALING
WITH THEM.
BUT TO ME, THE GREATEST BENEFIT
WE HAD WAS THAT WE EACH KIND OF
SUPPORTED EACH OTHER.
AND WE LOOKED UP TO THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OTHERS AND
THAT HELPED US.
AND WE NEEDED TO DO THE SAME
THING IN BRINGING OTHERS ON
BOARD BECAUSE IF WE DIDN'T REACH
DOWN AND HELP THOSE WHO WERE
COMING TO BE ABLE TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IN WHAT THEY WERE
DOING, ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY
YEARS, THAT I THINK WE WOULD NOT
HAVE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT
DR. STINSON POINTED OUT.
SOMETIMES I WONDER HOW DEEP
THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS GO IN
SEEING SOME OF THE THINGS.
I'M REALLY DELIGHTED TO SEE HOW
YOUR INSTITUTE DEVELOPED
RESEARCH PROGRAMS, GOTTEN
ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
THAT IS COMING A LONG WAY, I'M
SURE YOU REMEMBER WHEN THEY DID
NOT WANT US TO HAVE AN INSTITUTE
LOOKING AT HEALTH DISPARITIES OR
SO-CALLED MINORITIES.
THERE ARE LITTLE THINGS THAT
STILL HAPPEN AT NIH THAT I HEAR
ABOUT THAT BOTHER ME.
ONE LAST THING I WON'T GO ON
BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE USED UP SO
MUCH TIME ON QUESTION NUMBER
ONE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WAS MOST DISTURBING TO ME WAS,
AND I THINK I'VE SEEN DR. OWENS
IN THE AUDIENCE, I'M SURE HE CAN
RELATE TO THIS, WHEN I FIRST
CAME TO NIH THERE WERE A NUMBER
OF PEOPLE OF COLOR, GUYS AND
GALS OF COLOR, SCIENTISTS IN THE
INTRAMURAL COMMUNITY.
AND WHO WERE AIMING TO BECOME
TENURED.
AND I SAW MANY LEAVE FOR GREAT
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS ELSEWHERE
BUT WONDERED WHY WE COULDN'T
KEEP THEM AT THE NIH.
GLAD THEY GOT THE EXPERIENCE AND
GOT THE CREDENTIALS OF THE NIH
BUT I THOUGHT WE LOST MORE THAN
WE NEEDED TO.
I WAS SORT OF FRUSTRATED BECAUSE
MANY OF THEM WOULD COME, I WAS
NEW TO CAMPUS, A LITTLE MORE
OUTSPOKEN BECAUSE I WASN'T
WORRIED, IF I WAS FIRED WOULD
FIND ANOTHER JOB.
PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT THEIR
EXPERIENCES.
I WOULD TRY TO DO WHAT I COULD
TO HELP THEM.
ROLAND WAS INVOLVED IN A LOT OF
THIS IN THOSE DAYS.
HE CAN SPEAK FOR HIMSELF BUT FOR
ME IT WAS DISCOURAGING TO NOT
SEE ACTUAL INCREASE IN NUMBER OF
SCIENTISTS OF COLOR WHO WENT ON
TO BECOME TENURED FACULTY HERE,
TENURED SCIENTISTS HERE AT THE
NIH.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS
DISCOURAGING.
BUT OVERALL MY EXPERIENCES AT
NIH WERE FABULOUS.
I WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING
TO HAVE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'LL STOP THERE.
I THINK I JUST TOUCHED ON A
BUNCH OF STUFF RAMBLING BUT
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR
LAST AND OLDEST.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. PINN.
EACH OF YOU HAVE DEFINITELY
CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROGRESS WE
HAVE CURRENTLY MADE AND WHERE WE
ARE.
SO WE REALLY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND IT SEEMS THAT IT'S BEEN
DIFFERENT AREAS OF IMPACT.
SO AS WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT,
AND HOW YOU GOT TO THOSE POINTS
AT NIH, WE WANT TO TRANSITION TO
THE ROLE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT
BECAUSE WE ARE 60 YEARS LATER
FROM THAT ERA, AND AS WE THINK
ABOUT THAT, HOW DID, AS YOU
TRANSITION THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA,
THAT IMPACT YOU, YOUR JOURNEY,
AND HOW DO YOU THINK IT OPENED
OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACKS IN
SCIENCE AND MEDICINE?
DR. OLDEN?
>> WELL, CLEARLY CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON
MANY PROGRAMS THAT BENEFITED US.
AND I WAS AT THAT POINT IN
GRADUATE SCHOOL, AND THINKING
ABOUT A POSTDOCTORAL WORK.
AND I THINK THOUGH THAT MOST OF
THE IMPROVEMENTS, ADVANCEMENTS
THAT WERE MADE OVER THE YEARS,
HAVE -- INSTITUTIONS DID SOME,
BUT I THINK MOST OF THE CHANGE
THAT HAPPENED AT INSTITUTIONS
HAPPENED BECAUSE THERE WAS
SOMEONE THERE, SOME BODIES
THERE, WHO WERE COMMITTED TO
INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY, AND IT
WASN'T NOT SO MUCH THE
INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT BUT
THERE WERE INDIVIDUALS WHO
UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE STRUGGLE WAS
ALL ABOUT.
AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS, AS I
THINK BACK, WERE THE ONES THAT
MADE THINGS HAPPEN.
WHEN I APPLIED FOR A
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP TO
HARVARD, IN PHYSIOLOGY
DEPARTMENT, THE PERSON I WROTE
TO WAS -- AGREED I SHOULD COME.
BUT ONCE I GOT THERE I
DISCOVERED THAT THE INSTITUTION
HAD ALSO ADMITTED THE FIRST TIME
20 AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS IN
THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
NOW, IN PHYSIOLOGY DEPARTMENT,
THERE ENDED UP BEING THREE OF
US, AND IT WAS MOSTLY DUE TO TWO
PEOPLE IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
AND ALMOST NONE OF THE OTHER
DEPARTMENTS HAD ANYONE THAT
WAS -- I REALIZED, I THINK
THAT'S STILL THE CASE TODAY.
I LOOK AT MY FRIENDS WHO ARE IN
BUSINESS AND OTHER PROFESSIONS,
AND YOU CAN ALMOST IN EVERY CASE
IDENTIFY AN INDIVIDUAL WHO
UNDERSTOOD THE STRUGGLES AND
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY HAD NOT BEEN
COMMON, IN AMERICA.
AND SO, YES, THE NIH WAS
IMPORTANT IN MY LIFE.
I HAD A GOOD -- GREAT
OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
BUT I THINK IT WAS PEOPLE
LIKE -- I CAN SAY HER NAME,
RUTH KIRSHSTEIN AND AL PASTAN, I
DIDN'T WRITE TO THE DIRECTOR OF
THE NIH, IRA PASSTON TOOK ME
INTO HIS LABORATORY.
AFTER THREE YEARS PROMOTED ME TO
TENURE WITH MY OWN RESOURCES,
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WAS THE
FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO BE
PROMOTED TO TENURE AS A
RESEARCHER IN THE NIH.
THAT WAS 1977.
[APPLAUSE]
SO I THINK IT WOULDN'T HAVE
HAPPENED PROBABLY WITHOUT IRA
PASTAN, RUTH KIRSHSTEIN AND AL
RAPTON.
WHEN I WAS HERE I PUBLISHED WHO
OF MY CITED PAPERS IN 1978 THAT
BECAME CITATION CLASSICS.
I DID WHAT I KNEW I COULD DO,
AND THEY EXPECTED ME TO DO.
SO, I THINK THOUGH IN MY LIFE,
IT HAS BEEN INDIVIDUALS THAT
HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE.
I HOPE WE'LL GET TO A QUESTION I
CAN SPEAK TO MY TIME AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AS AN
UNDERGRADUATE, AND THAT WAS THE
CASE THERE AS WELL.
IT WAS A PERSON, ONE PERSON, WHO
REALLY WANTED TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.
HE WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO MAKE
SURE THAT PERSONS, INCLUSION AND
DIVERSITY WAS A REALITY.
I'LL STOP THERE.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME TO CONTINUE
YOUR STORY IF IT'S RELEVANT TO
THIS.
FEEL FREE.
>> WELL, I WAS UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENT AT HISTORICAL BLACK
COLLEGE, KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.
I'M A TENNESSEAN.
RURAL AREA, VERY POOR.
MY LAST YEAR IN COLLEGE I HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE TO DO
RESEARCH.
AND ONE PERSON MADE THAT HAPPEN
NAMED ARTHUR JONES, CAUCASIAN
FELLOW, PROFESSOR AT THE
UNIVERSITY.
AND HE TOOK ME AND AN AFRICAN
AMERICAN WOMAN FROM KNOXVILLE
COLLEGE INTO HIS LABORATORY.
I WAS GOING TO GO TO MEDICAL
SCHOOL, PRE-MED, SENIOR YEAR.
I DECIDED THOUGH AFTER DOING
RESEARCH IN HIS LABORATORY I WAS
EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK.
IT WAS INTERESTING, AND I
REALIZED AS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN
I CAN MAKE A MORE IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTION AS A RESEARCHER.
SO I SAID I'M GOING TO BECOME A
NATIONALLY COMPETITIVE
RESEARCHER.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS
THAT ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED
THAT I CAN CONTRIBUTE TOWARD.
SO, I MADE IT -- I CHANGED MY
GOALS AND DECIDED TO GO.
BUT IT WAS THAT PIVOTAL -- THAT
EXPERIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
TENNESSEE THAT MADE ALL THE
DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE, ALL THE
DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD IN MY
LIFE.
I'VE ENJOYED RESEARCH, AND I'VE
DONE WELL IN IT.
AND I WAS HAPPY THAT TO END UP
AS DIRECTOR OF AN INSTITUTE HERE
AT THE NIH.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DR. OLDEN.
DR. HARDEN?
>> BEFORE I ADDRESS THE QUESTION
RELATED TO CIVIL RIGHTS I WANT
TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE ANOTHER
SCIENTIST THAT IS CURRENTLY HERE
AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF
HEALTH AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE
ON AGING.
HER NAME IS DR. SARESE ELLIOTT,
HELPED TO ESTABLISH THAT WOMEN
OF COLOR RESEARCH NETWORK THAT
CONTINUES TO GO FORWARD AND
ACTUALLY IT'S IN PARTNERSHIP,
AND I DEFINITELY WANTED HER TO
BE RECOGNIZED FOR HER EFFORTS
THAT CONTINUE TO THIS VERY DAY
ADVANCING THAT NETWORK.
IT WAS AN EFFORT TO BRING
INTRAMURAL AND EXTRAMURAL
SCIENTISTS TOGETHER FOR THE
WOMEN THAT ARE SCIENTISTS AND
THE MEN THAT CARE ABOUT WOMEN
THAT ARE SCIENTISTS.
IF YOU CARE, GO ON THE NIH
WEBSITE AND LOOK FOR THE WOMEN
OF COLOR RESEARCH NETWORK, AND
YOU'LL SEE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF
WOMEN, THOUSANDS, THAT ARE
CONNECTING ACROSS OUR NATION
THAT CONSUME THE VERY PRODUCTS
THAT ARE PRODUCED HERE AT THE
NIH.
SO, BACK TO THE QUESTION RELATED
TO CIVIL RIGHTS.
SO, I WAS IN 1964 HIGH SCHOOLER,
LARGE AFRO, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE,
THAT WAS THE TIME.
THAT WAS THE CULTURE.
PROTEST WAS ON OUR MIND.
HAD WITNESSED A LOT OF THE
DESTRUCTION AND RIOTS THAT
OCCURRED IN THIS AREA.
NATIVE VIRGINIAN, GREW UP IN
WASHINGTON, D.C.
PRODUCT OF A HIGH SCHOOL THAT AT
THE TIME WAS A COMPETITIVE -- IT
WAS A MAGNET SCHOOL, DIDN'T HAVE
THAT DESIGNATION BUT IT WAS A
MAGNET SCHOOL.
IT WAS CALLED THE WILLIAM
MCKINLEY TECH, TECHNOLOGICAL
HIGH SCHOOL.
AND IT WAS MY SECOND EXPOSURE TO
TEACHERS THAT DID NOT LOOK LIKE
ME.
I HAD GONE TO A PRETTY MUCH
SEGREGATED AND SEPARATED MIDDLE
SCHOOL WITH ALL AFRICAN AMERICAN
TEACHERS, BUT MY HIGH SCHOOL WAS
I THINK FORTUNATE TO HAVE REAL
DIVERSITY IN THE TEACHING RANKS,
DIVERSITY IN TERMS OF THE
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EXPERTISE
AT THAT HIGH SCHOOL.
SO, I WAS HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
BUT, AGAIN, THAT RECKLESSNESS IN
KNOWING THAT THE CIVIL RIGHTS
ACT HAD BEEN PASSED IN 1964, YOU
HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY
AND THE FIGHT AND THE STRUGGLE
TO GET THAT ACT PASSED.
AND WHAT IT DID FOR OUR NATION,
WHAT IT DID FOR ME, WAS TO HELP
CONTROL, HELP TO SLOW SOME OF
THE OBSTACLES AND BARRIERS
RELATED TO SOCIAL ENGINEERING.
BY THAT, I MEAN AT THE TIME OUR
COUNTRY TRIED -- I'M GOING BACK
TO THIS THEME OVER AND OVER
AGAIN, DISCRIMINATION,
SEPARATION, AND SEGREGATION.
SO I SAID MY MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS
PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN
IN STUDENT POPULATION AND
TEACHER POPULATION.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE WERE IN A
SEGREGATED AREA OF THE CITY,
WHERE MOSTLY PEOPLE THAT LOOKED
LIKE ME LIVED.
IT WAS SEGREGATED IN TERMS OF
WHEN YOU GOT ON THE PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION BUSES AT THE TIME
DIDN'T HAVE SUBWAY THEN, THAT
WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO THE
PART OF THE CITY, IF YOU WILL.
THE MORE ESTABLISHED PART, THE
PART WITH MORE RESOURCES.
I WAS MENTIONING EARLIER TODAY
EVEN TODAY THERE ARE PROBABLY
CHILDREN IN THE SOUTHEAST SECTOR
OF OUR NATION, OF THIS CITY, THE
SOUTHEAST SECTOR OF WASHINGTON,
D.C., THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.
THEY MAY HAVE RIDDEN BY AND
THOUGHT, OH, THAT LOOKS LIKE A
COLLEGE CAMPUS, I'VE SEEN THAT
ON TV.
BUT THEY DON'T REALLY, REALLY
KNOW.
SO, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THIS ACT,
CIVIL RIGHTS AFTER -- ACT OF
1964, I OPENED DOORS OF
OPPORTUNITY.
I WEAR THE BADGE PROUDLY.
IF YOU TELL MY I'M AN
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION HIRE, OKAY,
I'LL TAKE IT BECAUSE IT HAS LED
ME TO WHERE I AM TODAY.
CALL ME A DIVERSITY HIRE.
WHATEVER THE LABEL IS RELATED TO
THAT DOOR BEING OPENED, I WALKED
THROUGH THAT DOOR.
I WAS ABLE TO GO TO A GREAT HIGH
SCHOOL.
I WAS ADMITTED INTO A UNIVERSITY
THAT I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE
NECESSARILY BEEN ADMITTED TO,
NOT THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE
GRADES, BUT, AGAIN, REMEMBER
DISCRIMINATION, SEGREGATION,
SEPARATION.
SO I WAS ADMITTED TO THE
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, TO THE
SCHOOL OF NURSING.
IT'S A COMPETITIVE PROGRAM.
YOU WOULD THINK THAT WITH OPEN
AND FAIR COMPETITION WHY WAS IT
THAT IN EACH OF THE CLASSES
BEFORE ME AND EVEN SUBSEQUENT
CLASSES AFTER ME, THERE WERE
ONLY TWO AFRICAN AMERICANS?
AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THOSE ISSUES
OF DISCRIMINATION, SEGREGATION,
AND SEPARATION.
A LEADER, MARY MCCLOUD BETHUNE,
SAID THERE CAN BE NO
DISCRIMINATION, NO SEGREGATION,
AND NO SEPARATION OF SOME OF THE
CITIZENS FROM THE RIGHTS THAT
ARE DUE TO ALL OF US.
AND I CONTINUED TO LIVE BY THAT
CREED SO I'M THANKFUL FOR THE
DOORS THAT WERE OPENED BY THE
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, AND AS
MARY MCCLOUD BETHUNE SAID, WE'RE
ON OUR WAY, AND WE ARE.
WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND, AND FOR
THIS PERSON TO SIT HERE NOW AND
BE THE FIRST, WE HAVE TO ASK WHO
WAS THE SECOND INSTITUTE
DIRECTOR?
WHO WAS THE THIRD?
BUT THE QUESTION I ASK TO YOU,
DO WE KNOW WHO THE TENTH IS?
OR IS THAT SOMEBODY WHO IS OUT
THERE WAITING TO BE APPOINTED?
HAVE WE HAD TEN DIVERSE
DIRECTORS OF INSTITUTES?
NOT CENTERS, I'M TALKING ABOUT
INSTITUTES, HERE AT THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES NATIONAL INSTITUTES
OF HEALTH.
THERE'S MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
AND THE ONE THING I'M CONFIDENT
OF IS THAT HERE AT THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, PEOPLE DO
CARE.
WE UNDERSTAND AS SCIENTISTS
COLLECTIVELY WHAT THE PROBLEM
IS.
WE FOLLOW THE RESEARCH PROCESS.
WE KNOW WHAT'S STATED IN THE
LITERATURE.
WE KNOW A METHODOLOGY TO HELP
CORRECT SOME OF THE PROBLEMS.
BUT WITHOUT LEGISLATION, WITHOUT
THE ONE, WITHOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE
COMMITTED TO MAKING A
DIFFERENCE, WE NEVER NECESSARILY
GET TO EXECUTE THOSE SOLUTIONS
THAT CAN WORK TO MAKE OUR NATION
EVEN GREATER.
SO, AGAIN, I APPLAUD LIKE DR.
PINN SAID, I WOULD NOT BE ON THE
STAGE WITHOUT HER INCLUDING ME
IN EFFORTS FROM THE OFFICE OF
RESEARCH ON WOMEN'S HEALTH.
SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS WERE
CHALLENGING.
AND I THANK HER FOR THOSE
ASSIGNMENTS BECAUSE I GREW.
I GREW IN WAYS THAT I DIDN'T
KNOW WAS POSSIBLE.
BUT YOU NEVER WANT TO
DISAPPOINT.
AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN PART OF
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
FOR MANY OF US.
WHEN WE CAN LOOK AROUND AND SEE
THOSE THAT HAVE MENTORED US AND
MADE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES,
WE DON'T WANT TO DISAPPOINT.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PUSH
THOSE BOUNDARIES FORWARD.
AND AS I SAID, I'M VERY GRATEFUL
FOR WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE
PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT
OF 1964.
I'LL STOP THERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR.
HARDEN.
NOW DR. STINSON AND THEN DR.
PINN.
>> HOW DO I FOLLOW THAT?
I'M NOT SURE ANYTHING I SAY
WILL, YOU KNOW, ADD TO WHAT DR.
HARDEN JUST SAID.
IT'S AN INTRIGUING QUESTION
BECAUSE THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT
IS -- IT'S FOUNDATIONAL TO ALL
OF THIS.
I MEAN, IT REALLY OPENED UP THE
DOOR FOR OPPORTUNITIES IN SUCH A
VERY BROAD SCALE, NOT THAT IT
HAS EASY FOR IF ANYONE TO, YOU
KNOW, TRAVEL THAT PARTICULAR
PATHWAY.
AND THERE ARE EVEN TO THIS DAY,
ATTEMPTS TO ROLL THINGS BACK, TO
A TIME WHERE THERE WAS UNEQUAL
TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE
COUNTRY.
ONE OF MY -- I'M FROM
WASHINGTON, GREW UP IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. AS WELL, AS WE
CHATTED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
SHE MAY ACTUALLY KNOW MY
BROTHER.
SHE IS GOING TO LOOK HIM UP IN
THE YEARBOOK.
BUT ONE OF MY MOST VIVID
MEMORIES GROWING UP WAS MY
PARENTS BEING PART OF A GROUP
THAT MET AT EACH FAMILY'S HOME.
IT WAS BLACK COUPLES AND WHITE
COUPLES.
THEY WOULD ALTERNATE MEETING AT
THEIR HOMES, AND THEY WOULD TALK
ABOUT RACE, JUST TALK ABOUT
RACE.
AND I REMEMBER MAYBE I WAS JUST
BEING A LITTLE NOSY OR JUST, YOU
KNOW, LOOKING FOR TROUBLE, I
DON'T KNOW, BUT FROM TIME TO
TIME I WOULD HIDE IN THE COAT
CLOSET AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY
WERE TALKING ABOUT.
AS BEST I CAN REMEMBER AS BEING
AN EARLY TEEN AT THAT TIME, THEY
WERE FRANK AND DIRECT
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT
TODAY STILL SEEMS TO BE
INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT.
AND AS DR. OLDEN WAS SAYING, IT
JUST MADE ME -- IT REINFORCED IN
MY MIND THAT CHANGE REALLY COMES
FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL MAKE
THAT CHANGE, WHO ARE COMMITTED
TO THAT AND WILL PUSH SOCIETY OR
PUSH THE POLICIES THAT WILL
ALLOW BENEFICIAL CHANGE TO
HAPPEN.
AND I THINK ABOUT THE
INDIVIDUALS WHO AT THAT TIME
FORMED THAT GROUP.
YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THE FORESIGHT
OF WHAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT OR
WHAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD
HELP THE NATION AS A WHOLE, IS
SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY
REMARKABLE IN MANY WAYS, YOU
KNOW, IN MY MIND.
AND I OFTEN THINK ABOUT A QUOTE
FROM MAYA ANGELOU, BECAUSE I
THINK WHAT THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT
DID IS THAT IT REALLY, YOU KNOW,
CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE TO WHERE
PEOPLE RECOGNIZED THAT NO ONE'S
BETTER THAN YOU, NO ONE'S WORSE
THAN YOU.
AND SO YOU SHOULD HAVE THE SAME
OPPORTUNITIES THAT ANYONE ELSE
HAS.
AND SHE CAME, I THINK IN 2009,
SHE CAME TO NIH AND ONE OF THE
THINGS SHE SAID I WILL ALWAYS
REMEMBER.
SHE SAID, EQUITY IS LIKE AIR.
IT BELONGS TO ALL OF US.
I THINK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME
BECAUSE IT IS SO, SO TRUE.
>> THANK YOU, DR. STINSON.
DR. PINN?
>> WELL, I THINK MY COLLEAGUES
HAVE COVERED THIS SO WELL, AND I
AGREE WITH THE MAJOR CONCEPTS
THEY PUT FORWARD.
AND I REFLECT ON THE CIVIL
RIGHTS ACT, AND WHAT CHANGES I
SAW BEFORE AND AFTER.
SO 1964, I WAS ALREADY IN
MEDICAL SCHOOL, I STARTED
MEDICAL SCHOOL IN 1963.
I WAS ALREADY IN MEDICAL SCHOOL
IN A CITY STILL SEGREGATED, THAT
STILL WAS NOT TAKING WOMEN IN
ITS UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY,
WHERE THE CITY ITSELF WAS STILL
SEGREGATED.
IN FACT I WENT TO SEGREGATED
SCHOOLS ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH
SCHOOL UNTIL -- AND THIS WAS IN
VIRGINIA ALSO, BUT THE REAL
VIRGINIA, SOUTHERN VIRGINIA, AND
THEN UNTIL I WENT TO BOSTON, TO
COLLEGE, EVEN THOUGH BOSTON WAS
THE NORTH AND WAS SUPPOSEDLY
INTEGRATED, I DON'T KNOW HOW
MANY OF YOU REMEMBER WHAT WAS
HAPPENING IN SOUTH BOSTON WHERE
THEY DID NOT WANT TO INTEGRATE
THE SCHOOLS.
AND THE BUSING EPISODES THERE.
SO I SAW ALL OF THAT.
AND THEN I SAW THE CIVIL RIGHTS
ACT COME ABOUT.
AND I THINK THE LESSON THAT I
SAW FROM THAT IS WHAT DR. OLDEN
AND DR. STINSON HAVE POINTED
OUT.
THE LAW ITSELF DIDN'T JUST MAKE
EVERYBODY ALL OF A SUDDEN CHANGE
AND SAY THE DOORS ARE OPEN AND
WE'RE GOING TO BE OPEN AND BRING
IN EVERYBODY.
IT ACTUALLY TOOK AN INDIVIDUAL
HERE OR A COUPLE INDIVIDUALS
THERE WHO REALLY TOOK THIS
SERIOUSLY.
AND WHO REALLY FELT DEDICATED TO
PRINCIPLES OF DIVERSITY MAKING
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES EXIST.
YOU SAW EVERY PLACE THERE WAS A
PROGRAM FOR MINORITIES,
ESPECIALLY BLACKS COMING INTO
Ph.D. PROGRAMS, COMING IN,
EVEN PRE-MED PROGRAMS, COMING
INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND YOU SAW
THE CHANGES.
ALMOST EVERY ONE OF THOSE YOU
COULD IDENTIFY ONE PERSON ON THE
FACULTY THERE WHO REALLY WAS
CREATING AND TAKING THAT
FORWARD.
BUT IT DID MAKE A CHANGE BECAUSE
IT BECAME PART OF THE LAW.
I CAN COMMENT ON OTHER THINGS
BUT I THINK THAT'S BEEN COVERED.
I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT WHAT
EVERYBODY ELSE SAID.
I'M GOING TO ISSUE A BIT OF
WARNING.
AND THAT IS THAT WE SHOULD NOT
TAKE WHAT WE GAIN UNDER THE
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT AS ESTABLISHED
AND PERMANENT BECAUSE YOU CAN
SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE
POLITICAL WORLD TODAY.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE JUST AS
WHAT HAPPENED WITH VOTING RIGHTS
ACT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
OUR RIGHTS UNDER THE CIVIL
RIGHTS ACT CONTINUE TO BE
RECOGNIZED AND ENFORCED AS WE GO
FORWARD SO THE YOUNG FOLKS
COMING BEHIND US DON'T HAVE TO
FIGHT THE SAME BATTLES.
I JUST SEE ALMOST EVERY DAY,
LOOK AT WHAT'S IN THE NEWS AND
WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND I GET VERY
CONCERNED BECAUSE WE'RE FIGHTING
A LOT OF THE SAME BATTLES,
ESPECIALLY AS RELATES TO WOMEN'S
HEALTH, AS RELATES TO VOTING, AS
RELATES TO VOTER SUPPRESSION, AS
RELATES TO BEING ADMITTED TO
MEDICAL AND GRADUATE SCHOOLS.
AND TO ME IT'S LIKE REVISITING
WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN THE '40s
AND '50s AND '60s, BEFORE
THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA.
SO, I JUST ASK THAT WE ALL
REMAIN DEDICATED TO KEEPING
THOSE LAWS AND THE PRINCIPLES
BEHIND THOSE LAWS CURRENT AND
GIVE OUR EVERY EFFORT TO
PRESERVING THEM.
I'LL JUST STOP THERE.
>> THANK YOU, DR. PINN.
SUCH WONDERFUL AND INSPIRING
INFORMATION, YOUR HISTORY, YOUR
STORIES.
AND THE -- I WILL SAY JOURNEY.
I WILL SAY YOUR JOURNEY.
I'M THINKING FOR A DIFFERENT
WORD BUT YOUR JOURNEYS, THEY ARE
INSPIRING.
SO AS WE LOOK FORWARD AND MOVE
TO THE FUTURE, AND WHERE WE ARE
NOW WITH BLACK SCIENTISTS,
ASPIRING SCIENTISTS, ASPIRING
BLACKS IN PUBLIC HEALTH, WHAT
ADVICE, IF ANY, COULD YOU GIVE
THEM AS THEY JOURNEY THROUGH
THEIR CAREERS AND THEIR PATHWAY?
DR. OLDEN?
OH, DR. PINN?
GO AHEAD.
OKAY.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF EFFORTS
UNDERWAY, BUT ONE THING, I'M ON
A ROUNDTABLE AT THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING
AND MEDICINE THAT'S DEDICATED TO
INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
WOMEN, AND SUPPOSEDLY STARTED
WITH BLACK MEN BUT I COULDN'T BE
THERE AND NOT ADDRESS WOMEN ALSO
SO IT'S A ROUNDTABLE ADDRESSING
IMPROVING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
BLACK WOMEN AND BLACK MEN IN
SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND
MEDICINE.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN HAVING A
SERIES OF MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS
OVER THE PAST -- WE'VE BEEN IN
EXISTENCE NOW A LITTLE OVER
THREE YEARS.
AFTER IT BECAME OBVIOUS WE WERE
NOT -- NUMBERS OF BLACK MEN IN
MEDICINE HAD REMAINED STAGNANT
SINCE THE '70s, AND SO WE HAD
NOT BEEN INCREASING, WHILE
INCREASING BLACKS IN MEDICINE
WAS MOSTLY RELATED TO TAKING
MORE WOMEN IN AND THAT LOOKED
GREAT UNTIL YOU STOPPED AND SAW
WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR MALE
COLLEAGUES AND MALE STUDENTS,
AND THEY WERE NOT GETTING THE
SAME OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
ATTENTION GIVEN TO THAT.
AND LOOKING AT THE BARRIERS THAT
STUDENTS FACE ALONG THE
PATHWAYS.
I WON'T GO INTO ALL THE BARRIERS
BECAUSE THEY ARE THERE.
ONE OF THE MAJOR ONES IS LOOKING
AT INSTITUTIONAL RACISM.
AND THAT WE REALLY NEED TO
ELIMINATE RACISM AS IT EXISTS
THROUGHOUT INSTITUTIONS.
BY THAT I MEAN WHETHER THE
INSTITUTION IS THE UNIVERSITY,
AN ORGANIZATION, OR SCHOOL, BUT
JUST THAT WE SHOULDN'T ALWAYS
THINK WE HAVE TO CHANGE TO FIT
INTO THE SYSTEM.
MAYBE THE SYSTEM NEEDS TO ADAPT
TO HAVING MORE DIVERSE
PARTICIPANTS IN THAT SYSTEM, AND
THAT'S WHERE WE THINK THE
EFFORTS NEED TO GO.
BUT TO NOT GO FURTHER INTO THAT
IF THERE'S TIME I'D LOVE TO TELL
YOU MORE ABOUT THAT AND ALSO THE
NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
ALSO HAS AN EFFORT UNDERGOING
WITH THE AAMC, ASSOCIATION OF
AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGES,
ADDRESSING THE SAME ISSUE,
REALLY LOOKING AT INCREASING
BLACK MEN IN MEDICINE AND
SCIENCE.
AND I THINK WE NEED NEED TO
LOOK BEYOND MEDICINE, LOOKING AT
CAREERS IN SCIENCE IN GENERAL.
NOT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE A
DOCTOR.
THERE ARE ROLES YOU CAN HAVE IN
SCIENCE AND MEDICINE.
BUT IT'S, TO ME, IT'S PLEASING
TO SEE THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY
ORGANIZATIONAL EFFORTS LIKE
HAVING THE AAMC WHICH HAS NEVER
BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING
PARITY FOR BLACKS ADMITTED TO
MEDICAL SCHOOL AND GRADUATING,
THEY ARE FOCUSING ON THAT.
AND THEN IT IS SOMETHING OF A
FIRST FOR THE NATIONAL ACADEMY
OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND
MEDICINE, MANY OF OF YOU MAY
KNOW IT, USED TO BE CALLED
INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE, TO HAVE
ACTUAL ROUNDTABLE ADDRESSING
THESE SPECIFIC ISSUES.
THE ONLY PROBLEM IS IT CAN ONLY
COME UP WITH SUGGESTION ALSO AND
THOUGHTS, IT DOES NOT HAVE THE
POWER OF IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THAT'S WHERE OUR EFFORT IS.
WE COME UP WITH GREAT IDEAS,
GREAT THOUGHTS, BUT WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT INSTITUTIONS ARE
PAYING ATTENTION.
BUT THE FINAL THING IS BECAUSE
THE QUESTION REALLY WAS NOT THAT
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT AT
REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT ADVICE WE
CAN BETTER GIVE AND MAKE
INSTITUTIONS MORE RECEPTIVE.
BUT I WOULD SAY TO ANYONE
ASPIRING TO CAREERS IN SCIENCE
AND MEDICINE, TO GO FORWARD.
I THINK THERE'S NOTHING MORE
FASCINATING, NOTHING MORE
FULFILLING, THAN KNOWING THAT
YOU'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE,
DISCOVERING SOMETHING FROM
SCIENCE NO ONE NEW BEFORE OR
YOU'RE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND
MORE ABOUT THE BODY OR THE
ENVIRONMENT OR OUR CLIMATE, OR
WHATEVER, THAT YOU HAVE A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING TO EMBRACE THAT
AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE
AND PRESERVE FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS, JUST LOOK AT OUR
CLIMATE AS AN EXAMPLE.
AND THAT THERE WILL BE
CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY.
AND, BOY, I CAN RECOUNT
CHALLENGES.
SOMETIMES I THINK WHEN I HEAR
STUDENTS COMPLAIN ABOUT SOME OF
THE MICROAGGRESSIONS THEY FACE
AND COMMENTS THEY ARE CALLED,
NAMES THEY ARE CALLED, I'M
THINKING, GEE WHIZ, WHAT WOULD
YOU HAVE DONE IF YOU WERE COMING
THROUGH WHEN I WAS COMING
THROUGH 50 YEARS AGO, SOME OF
THE THINGS WE WERE CALLED, HOW
WE WERE ADDRESSED, AND I STOP
AND THINK, NO, THAT'S NOT FAIR.
FIFTY YEARS LATER, EVEN IF WE
DID ENDURE THOSE 50 YEARS AGO,
STUDENTS TODAY SHOULD NOT HAVE
TO FACE THOSE SAME CHALLENGES IF
WE MADE ANY PROGRESS.
SO, MY WORD OF ADVICE IS GO FOR
IT.
BE INTERESTED.
DON'T LET ALL THESE DISTRACTIONS
AND CHALLENGES AND ISMS, BE THEY
RACISM, SEXISM, HOMOPHOBISMS,
DON'T LET THEM DISTRACT YOU FROM
YOUR PURPOSE.
REMEMBER WHAT YOU ARE STRIVING
FOR.
YES, YOU TRY TO COMBAT THOSE
THINGS, DON'T LET THESE ISSUES
TOTALLY TAKE YOU OVER, BUT AT
THE SAME TIME DON'T LET THEM
DISTRACT YOU FROM WHAT YOU'RE
THERE FOR.
THAT'S MY BOTTOM LINE.
ALWAYS KNOW CAN YOU DO BETTER
THAN THOSE FOLKS WHO THINK YOU
CAN'T DO AS WELL.
THAT'S THE END OF MY MESSAGE ON
THIS ONE.
>> THANK YOU.
DR. STINSON?
>> TWO PIECES OF ADVICE.
FIRST ONE, WHICH ALIGNS WITH
WHAT DR. PINN JUST SAID,
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR GOAL IS.
A GOAL IS WHAT YOU WANT TO BE OR
WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE.
AND DON'T SHORTCHANGE YOURSELF.
TOO OFTEN I THINK THERE'S A
TENDENCY TO TRY TO DECIDE WHAT'S
ACHIEVABLE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT
SO I CAN SAY THAT I WAS
SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE I MET THAT.
THAT MAY NOT BE REALLY WHAT YOU
ASPIRE TO.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH
ASPIRING TO THE MOST LOFTY LEVEL
OR POSITION AND GETTING CLOSE IS
NOT FAILURE.
THAT MAY BE VERY FAR FROM, YOU
KNOW, SETTING SOME TYPE OF GOAL
THAT YOU CAN EASILY ACHIEVE.
SO DON'T SHORTCHANGE YOURSELF.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE
ACTUALLY ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
THE SECOND PIECE OF ADVICE,
DVICE, FIND THAT SPECIAL MENTOR
AND THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN
THE SCIENTIFIC AREA.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY, QUOTE,
"SPECIAL" IS FIND THAT PERSON
THAT SEES SOMETHING IN YOU THAT
YOU DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE.
FOR ME, I WASN'T ONE OF THOSE
INDIVIDUALS WHO WANTED TO BE A
SCIENTIST FROM THIRD GRADE OR
PARTICIPATED IN SCHOOL SCIENCE
AFFAIRS.
QUITE FRANKLY MY FIRST YEAR OF
COLLEGE I SPENT MORE TIME IN THE
STUDENT UNION GAME ROOM THAN I
DID IN THE LIBRARY.
AND I HAVE SUCH A VIVID MEMORY
OF, YOU KNOW, ENGLISH CLASS AND
THE PROFESSOR COMING UP TO ME AT
THE END OF THE CLASS SAYING HE
WANTED ME TO COME TO HIS OFFICE
HOURS.
I SAID, OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
BUT I WAS PERPLEXED BECAUSE I
WASN'T DOING BAD IN THE CLASS, I
MEAN I WAS PASSING, LET ME SAY
IT THAT WAY.
I WASN'T FALLING ASLEEP IN
CLASS, I WASN'T DISRUPTIVE IN
CLASS.
I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE REALLY
WANTED TO TALK TO ME ABOUT.
AND WHEN I WENT IN TO SEE HIM,
WHAT HE SAID TO ME IS THAT I
JUST HAVE A FEELING OR A SENSE
YOU'RE NOT WORKING TO YOUR
POTENTIAL.
AND ROY LUCKY IS LIST NAME, I
WILL NEVER FORGET THIS MAN, WHO
CENTRALLY, YOU KNOW, WAS MORE
CONCERNED ABOUT ME THAN I WAS
ABOUT MYSELF AT THAT POINT IN
TIME.
AND IT REALLY WAS
TRANSFORMATIONAL BECAUSE I HAD
TO STEP BACK.
IT FORCED ME TO STEP BACK AND
THINK, WELL, WHAT IS IT THAT I
REALLY WANT TO DO?
WHY AM I IN COLLEGE?
WHAT IS IT THAT I THINK I CAN
ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVE AND
ACCOMPLISH?
AND SO DURING THE REST OF THE
TIME, DURING HIS LIFE, HE WAS
SOMEONE THAT I COULD HAVE A
CONVERSATION WITH THAT HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH BIOLOGY OR
SCIENCE, BUT SOMEONE WHO I FEEL
WAS THE FOUNDATIONAL MENTOR FOR
ME THAT HELPED ME THINK ABOUT
WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME, AND TO
USE THAT TO DETERMINE WHAT MY
GOALS WERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR.
STINSON.
DR. HARDEN?
>> THIS IS FOR MY MENTEES THAT
ARE PRESENT, SUCH AS BEVERLY,
IT'S FOR MY COLLEAGUES FROM NIA
THAT ARE PRESENT, AND IT'S FOR
MY MENTEES THAT ARE ONLINE.
THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD BE
LISTENING.
SO, THEY KNOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
ASPIRING SCIENTISTS, THOSE THAT
ARE ALREADY IN THE SCIENTIFIC
DOMAIN, THIS IS FOR YOU.
AND FOR ALL OF YOU AS WELL.
DO WE HAVE ANY FOOTBALL FANS
HERE?
CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HANDS SO I
CAN SEE?
I'M NEW TO FOOTBALL.
BUT IT'S MY NEW THING.
AND THE REASON IT'S MY NEW THING
IS I THINK OF SCIENCE AND
ASPIRATIONS, BEING ON A FOOTBALL
FIELD.
THINK ABOUT THE CURRENT SUPER
BOWL CHAMPS.
YOU HAVE A TEAM.
WE DIDN'T GET TO TEAM SCIENCE AT
NIH AS IF IT WAS SOMETHING NEW.
TEAM SPORTS HAD ALREADY BEEN OUT
THERE.
AND THE REASON YOU HAVE A GOOD
TEAM IS BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GET
TO THE GOAL LINE.
THE GOAL LINE IS WHATEVER
SCIENTIFIC QUESTION YOU'RE
EXPLORING.
YOU WANT TO SOLVE THAT THING.
THAT'S YOUR GOAL.
AND YOU WANT TO RECRUIT THE BEST
PEOPLE AROUND YOU, THE BEST
PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
THAT HAS BEEN THE LEGACY OF THE
TEAM SCIENCE AND TEAM SPORTS.
YOU CAN SEND AN E-MAIL TO
ANYONE.
MOST PEOPLE, THEY LOVE GIVING
FREE ADVICE.
IT'S UP TO YOU TO BE ABLE TO
SCREEN THAT.
NOW, THE OTHER THING, SO AS NOT
TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME, BUT
YOU HAVE THAT FOOTBALL ANALOGY
IN MIND.
YOU KNOW THE LAY OF THE FIELD.
WHAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND AS
PLAYERS IS THAT WE'RE IN THE ERA
NOW OF D.E.I., DIVERSITY,
EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, AND SOME
ADDED A FOR ACCESSIBILITY.
DON'T FORGET WHERE YOU CAME
FROM.
WHEN YOU STARTED PLAYING
FOOTBALL.
SO DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE
DISCRIMINATION, THE SEGREGATION,
AND THE SEPARATION.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND
BECAUSE JUST LIKE A TEAM,
SOMETIMES THEY WILL TRY TO BLOCK
YOUR VISION, YOUR VIEW, AND HAVE
YOU FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM,
WHAT YOU LEARNED IN THE PAST.
SO DON'T EVER LOSE SIGHT OF
THAT.
THE OTHER THING IS AS A PLAYER,
I WANT YOU TO BE CONSCIENTIOUS.
A CERTAIN PERSISTENCE AND
DEDICATION TO YOUR CRAFT.
IN PSYCHOLOGY THEY SAY
CONSCIENTIOUSNESS IS INDEED A
TRAIT.
I ALSO BELIEVE YOU CAN LEARN
SOME OF THOSE BEHAVIORS.
IT IS THAT DEDICATION AND THAT
PERSISTENCE.
I WANT YOU AS A PLAYER IN THIS
GAME OF SCIENCE TO ASK
QUESTIONS.
AND IT IS TRUE THERE'S NO STUPID
QUESTION.
THE ONLY STUPID QUESTION IS THE
ONE THAT DOESN'T GET ASKED.
SO, BECOME A CONNOISSEUR OF HOW
TO FORMULATE THE QUESTION, HOW
TO EXECUTE THE QUESTION.
AND WHEN YOU'RE COMING UP WITH
YOUR RESEARCH QUESTIONS,
EXPLORATION, ALWAYS CONSIDER WHO
IS INCLUDED, WHO IS EXCLUDED.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TODAY.
BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SO MANY
RESEARCH QUESTIONS ASKED AND
ANSWERED, BUT THERE WASN'T
ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE AT THE
TIME NECESSARILY ASKING.
SO IF WE EXPLORE THAT QUESTION,
WHEN WE ANSWER IT, IS IT LIKE
AIR?
IS IT EQUITABLE?
WHO IS INCLUDED?
WHO IS EXCLUDED?
I ALSO WANT YOU TO LEARN TO
WRITE BETTER.
DO YOU THINK THE QUARTERBACKS IN
THE SUPER BOWL JUST STARTED
LOBBING THE BALL?
NO, THEY HAD COACHES!
WAKE UP.
IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM, THE ONE
THING WE CAN ALWAYS DO IS LOB A
GOOD MANUSCRIPT AT IT.
I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO WRITE
WELL.
SO IF YOU WRITE WELL NOW, I WANT
YOU TO PRACTICE, I WANT YOU TO
STUDY, I WANT YOU TO BE COACHED,
TO BE EXCEPTIONAL IN YOUR
WRITING.
IT'S BECOMING A LOST ART.
PEOPLE ARE BARELY READING.
AND YOU KNOW AS A SCIENTIST, WE
KNOW HOW TO READ.
BUT WE ALSO MUST WRITE.
OUR CURRENCY REMAINS
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS.
SO, THINK ABOUT THE QUARTERBACK.
THEY PRACTICE LOBBING THE BALL.
PRACTICE WRITING THOSE
MANUSCRIPTS.
KEEP 'EM OUT THERE.
GET IT OVER THE GOAL LINE.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE
PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE DECIDED TO
ADDRESS IN OUR OWN PARTICULAR
AREA OF THE INTEREST.
TWO MORE, LEARN TO WITHSTAND
CRITICISM.
IT'S ANOTHER ISM.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET CRITICIZED.
HELLO, WELCOME TO LIFE.
EVERYBODY IN HERE, RIGHT?
WE'VE GOTTEN CRITICISM.
SOME OF MY IDEAS THEY SAID, OH,
WE CAN'T DO IT NOW, WE DON'T
HAVE THE MONEY, TAYLOR.
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET MORE
MONEY?
IN THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE SO I
SHOULD WAIT ANOTHER YEAR.
NO, WE NEED TO DO CERTAIN THINGS
NOW.
NOW IS THE APPOINTED TIME.
THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO
SAY TO YOU, MANY OF US HAVE BEEN
SOCIALIZED OVER TIME TO THINK
ABOUT OUR CAREERS AS A LADDER.
PROGRESSING UP AND UP AND UP.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED HERE AT THE
NIH, YOUR CAREER IS MORE LIKE A
JUNGLE GYM.
YOU CAN MOVE SIDEWAYS, THERE ARE
LATERAL MOVES.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHERE ARE YOU
NOW, I THINK YOU HAVE A FEW
OTHER INSTITUTES THAT YOU CAN
EXPLORE, TO FIND THE RIGHT PLACE
FOR YOU, THE RIGHT FIT.
YOU CAN GO TO THE STOP.
CAN YOU STAND ON THE TOP BARS
AND SURVEY THE LAND AROUND.
OR YOU CAN TURN THAT THING ALL
THE WAY UPSIDE DOWN ON THE
JUNGLE GYM.
SO DON'T THINK EVERYTHING HAS TO
BE LOCK-STEP IN GOING UP AND UP
IN YOUR CAREER.
IT'S THE JUNGLE GYM.
YOU CAN GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE JUNGLE GYM AND GAIN A WHOLE
NEW PERSPECTIVE.
BOTTOM LINE, BE FLEXIBLE, AND
NEVER FEEL BOXED IN.
YOUR CAREER IS MUCH MORE
EXPANSIVE THAN JUST A SIMPLE
LADDER.
YOU HAVE THE ENTIRE JUNGLE GYM
OF SCIENCE TO EXPLORE.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU, ASPIRING
SCIENTIST.
>> WOW, THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR.
HARDEN.
WE'RE GOING TO STOP OR END WITH
DR. OLDEN ON THIS QUESTION, AND
THEN WE'RE GOING TO TRANSFER
INTO AUDIENCE Q&A.
SO IF ANYONE HAS A QUESTION,
YOU'RE ABLE TO, IF YOU'RE IN THE
ROOM, COME TO THE MICS.
AND IF YOU'RE ONLINE YOU CAN
PUT YOUR QUESTION IN THE CHAT.
DR. OLDEN, PLEASE EXCUSE ME.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
I GREW UP IN EXTREME POVERTY IN
TENNESSEE, ON A FARM, SON OF A
SHARECROPPER.
SHARE CROPPING, YOU KNOW WHAT
THAT IS.
AND THE FIRST THING I HAD TO DO
WAS DECIDE THAT I WAS GOING TO
BE SOMEBODY.
THAT WAS A CRITICAL DECISION.
IN OTHER WORDS, I WAS NOT GOING
TO BECOME WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF
ME BASED ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF
MY BIRTH AND UPBRINGING.
IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT A REALITY,
IT REQUIRED DETERMINATION.
AND I THINK MAKING A DECISION
THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE A PLAYER
FIRST AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
THE DETERMINATION TO SUCCEED,
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW
ANYBODY, ANYTHING, TO PREVENT
YOU FROM ACHIEVING YOUR GOAL.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON
WHAT IT IS YOU HAVE CONTROL
OVER.
WHAT YOU THINK OF ME, DO YOU
LIKE ME DOESN'T MATTER.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN
CONTROL.
NOT THE KNOWLEDGE YOU HAVE ABOUT
A SUBJECT MATTER.
YOUR COMPETENCE, YOU CAN
CONTROL.
WHEN I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL, WE
WERE BUSED FROM THE RURAL AREA
INTO URBAN AREA, AND THE
PERCEPTION OF THE PEOPLE FROM
THE RURAL AREA WAS THAT WE WERE
IGNORANT AND DUMB.
WELL, I ACCEPTED ONE OF THOSE,
AND THAT IS WE WERE IGNORANT.
WE HAD NOT HAD A GOOD EDUCATION.
BUT I FELT THAT ALL THE
KNOWLEDGE THAT THE OTHER KIDS
HAD WAS AVAILABLE TO ME.
I JUST HAD TO CATCH UP.
IT WAS AVAILABLE.
IT WAS OUT THERE.
SO I WORKED HARD ENOUGH TO CATCH
UP.
AND MAYBE PASSED A FEW OF THEM,
IF NOT MOST OF THEM.
BUT IT WAS DETERMINATION.
AND THEN THE FINAL THING I WOULD
SAY IS BE PRO-ACTIVE AND
AGGRESSIVE IN SEEKING MENTORS.
NONE OF THE MENTORS I HAD DID
THEY VOLUNTARILY COME TO ME AND
SAY, KEN, CAN I HELP YOU?
I WAS AGGRESSIVE AS AN AFRICAN
AMERICAN MALE.
THE PROFESSORS, DISTINGUISHED
PROFESSORS, THREE OF THEM AT
HARVARD, MY MENTORS, I WOULD
MEET THEM AT MEETINGS, HELLO,
I'M KEN OLDEN, I WORK ON
SO-AND-SO AND I'M INTERESTED IN
...
WHEN I BEGAN TO DO THAT AT
NATIONAL MEETINGS THEY WOULD BE
STARTLED, FIRST OF ALL, BUT
AFTER I WENT TO THE SAME PERSON
MEETING AFTER MEETING, YOU KNOW,
YEAR AFTER YEAR, IT WAS, OH, HI,
KEN, HOW ARE YOU DOING?
SO WHEN I NEEDED A FAVOR, WHEN I
NEEDED SOMEBODY WITH CLOUT TO
WRITE A LETTER, MAKE A PHONE
CALL FOR ME, THEY COULD DO THAT.
SO, AFTER BEING AT HARVARD 4 1/2
YEARS IN PHYSIOLOGY AND
BIOCHEMISTRY, I WANTED TO COME
TO NCI, NATIONAL CANCER
INSTITUTE TO WORK WITH IRA
PASTAN.
I WALKED UP AND TALKED TO A
PROFESSOR, BERNARD DAVIS.
MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY.
ASKED DR. DAVIS WOULD HE WRITE A
LETTER FOR ME TO DR. PASTAN.
DR.
DR. DAVIS WAS A MEMBER OF
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.
THE OTHER PERSON WHO WROTE THE
OTHER LETTER, DR. EUGENE
KENNEDY, ALSO NATIONAL ACADEMY
OF SCIENCE MEMBER.
AND IRA PASTAN IS A NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCE MEMBER.
I KNEW THEM WELL ENOUGH TO ASK
FOR A LETTER.
AND THEY WERE HAPPY TO WRITE A
LETTER TO SUPPORT MY
APPLICATION, WHEREVER I WAS
GOING, BECAUSE THEY KNEW ME.
OVER THE YEARS I STOPPED THEM IN
THE HALLWAY AND TALKED TO THEM
ABOUT MY RESEARCH, SO THEY KNEW
I WAS SERIOUS ABOUT SCIENCE AND
I KNEW WHAT -- I KNEW SCIENCE.
SO, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS
ROOM, I GUESS I SHOULDN'T SAY,
THAT I'VE MENTORED, AND I
REMEMBER SHE APPROACHED ME IN A
HALLWAY, MANY YEARS AGO, WHEN I
WAS AT CUNY, AS FOUNDING DEAN OF
THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, TO
INTRODUCE HERSELF.
I AM NOT A FAN OF GROUP
MENTORING.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE ARE GROUPS
THAT GO IN AND BRING IN 15 KIDS
AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT DO THIS,
DO THAT.
MY MENTORING, I HAVE TWO STARS,
THEY HAVE DONE WELL, BUT BOTH OF
THEM CAME TO ME.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS ONE STORY
AND I'LL END, ABOUT MENTORING.
A YOUNG LADY WHO WAS A STUDENT
AT SIDWELL FRIENDS IN D.C.,
WHICH IS WHERE BARACK OBAMA'S
DAUGHTERS WENT TO, I BELIEVE.
SHE CAME TO ME, FIRST AND SECOND
YEAR THAT I WAS DIRECTOR,
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR AT THAT
POINT OF THE CANCER CENTER AT
HOWARD.
SHE CAME TO ME, YOUNG BLACK
WOMAN, AND ASKED ME IF SHE COULD
COME AND WORK IN MY LABORATORY.
AND I WAS AS I AM NOW A GRUMPY
OLD MAN, AND I HAD EVERYBODY IN
MY LABORATORY, I DIDN'T HAVE
SPACE FOR HER, DIDN'T HAVE TIME
FOR HER.
SO, I TRIED TO PUT HER OFF BUT
SHE WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO.
THANK GOODNESS SHE DIDN'T.
I SAT DOWN WITH HER THAT DAY AND
TALKED WITH HER.
AND I BROUGHT HER, AND SHE
CONVINCED ME SHE WAS WORTH
INVESTING IN.
SHE WORKED WITH ME TWO OR THREE
SUMMERS.
SHE GOT ADMITTED TO YALE
UNIVERSITY.
I GOT HER ADMITTED, I TOLD HER
SHE SHOULD WORK IN A FRIEND'S
LABORATORY, JIM JAMISON'S
LABORATORY, SHE WORKED IN HIS
LABORATORY, THEN I TOLD HER TO
COME TO IRA PASTAN'S LAB.
I SAID WHEN I WRITE A BETTER,
PEOPLE WILL -- YOU'RE AFRICAN
AMERICAN, I'M AN AFRICAN
AMERICAN, WE NEED SOMEONE ELSE.
SHE DID THAT.
THEN WHEN SHE FINISHED MEDICAL
SCHOOL, SHE WENT TO WORK WITH
LANCE LIOTTA HERE IN PATHOLOGY,
SHE IS NOW FULL PROFESSOR IN
PATHOLOGY AT M.D. ANDERSON.
THAT'S THE KIND OF MENTORING
THAT MATTERS.
WHEN I CAN DO -- PICK UP THE
PHONE AND SAY, ABSOLUTELY,
UNEQUIVOCALLY, THIS IS A PERSON
THAT I WOULD INVEST, YOU CANNOT
GO WRONG, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE
LONG.
THAT'S ALL YOU NEED SAY.
AND THAT WORKS.
SO BE AGGRESSIVE.
MAKE PEOPLE KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
AND THAT YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT
SCIENCE OR WHATEVER PROFESSION
YOU'RE INTERESTED IN GOING IN.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. OLDEN.
AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A QUESTION
FROM OUR ONLINE AUDIENCE.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO PIVOT.
>> CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME?
FIRST, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE.
IT'S OUR HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO
HOST YOU TODAY.
I HAVE A QUESTION FROM A VIRTUAL
ATTENDEE.
WHAT IF ANY ASSISTANCE OR
EVOLUTION DO ANY TRAILBLAZERS
SPEAK INTO HEALTH DEMOGRAPHICS
OF MINORITIES, MINORITY
COMMUNITIES, BEING IMPACTED BY
CORPORATIONS THAT MOVE IN WITH
OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY IN
ENGINEERING, WHERE DISPARITIES
WITH CANCER BECOME MORE
PREVALENT?
>> COULD YOU REPEAT THAT
QUESTION PLEASE?
MAYBE JUST THE LAST PART, TO
MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR.
>> YES.
SO, I THINK THE QUESTION WAS
ASKING OUR TRAILBLAZERS TO SPEAK
ON HEALTH DEMOGRAPHICS AND --
LET ME READ IT.
WHAT IF ANY ASSISTANCE OR
EVOLUTION DO ANY TRAILBLAZERS
SPEAK INTO HEALTH DEMOGRAPHICS
OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES BEING
IMPACTED BY CORPORATIONS THAT
MOVE IN WITH OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY
IN ENGINEERING WHERE DISPARITIES
WITH CANCER BECOME MORE
PREVALENT?
>> WELL, I AM A CANCER
RESEARCHER AND HEADED A CANCER
CENTER SO I WILL COMMENT.
AND THEN DIRECTOR OF NIEHS
SHOULD BE ABLE TO SAY SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT.
WELL, WHEN I SIGNED ON AS
DIRECTOR OF NIEHS, AND BEFORE
THAT, 1991, I WAS FORTUNATE
THERE WERE TWO MAJOR ISSUES THAT
WAS ON THE NATIONAL SCENE.
ONE WAS ISOLATING THE HUMAN
GENOME, CLONING THE HUMAN
GENOME.
THE OTHER WAS ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE MOVEMENT WAS CURRENT.
AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
BASICALLY MEANS THAT RACIAL AND
ETHNIC MINORITIES LIVE IN
ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY
INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION AND TOXIC
CHEMICALS.
AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THAT, THESE
POPULATIONS HAVE MORE DISABILITY
AND MORTALITY, SUCH AS CANCER,
RESULTING FROM THOSE EXPOSURES.
SO, OUT DATED TECHNOLOGY ITSELF,
IN AND OF ITSELF IS NOT TOXIC.
THERE'S A LOT OF OUTDATED
TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE PROBABLY
WITHOUT HARM EXCEPT ON THE
ECONOMICS OF THAT COMPANY.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER CHEMICALS,
TECHNOLOGIES, THAT DO IMPACT THE
COMMUNITY AND LEAD TO
DISPARITIES IN HEALTH.
SO, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE
TECHNOLOGY IS AND WHAT THE
CONTROLS THAT EXIST TO PREVENT
NEGATIVE HEALTH IMPACTS.
SO, THAT, AS STATED, I CAN'T
COMMENT BEYOND THAT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. OLDEN.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO OR WE CAN
MOVE TO THE NEXT QUESTION?
OKAY.
LET'S
LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT QUESTION.
>> WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO
SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO RECENTLY
BEGAN A CAREER AT THE NIH AND IS
FACING SOME OF THE SAME
STRUGGLES RELATED TO RACE AND
GENDER THAT YOU FACED?
>> COULD YOU REPEAT THE
QUESTION?
>> HAPPY WHO.
WHAT ADVICE WHO YOU GIVE TO
SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO RECENTLY
BEGAN A CAREER AT THE NIH AND IS
FACING SOME OF THE SAME
STRUGGLES RELATED TO RACE AND
GENDER THAT YOU FACED?
>> SO I'LL TAKE A STAB AT THAT.
RACE AND GENDER.
RACE AND GENDER ARE ISSUES THAT
YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE ALL OF
YOUR LIFE, WHATEVER GENDER YOU
ARE, ARE YOU THAT GENDER,
WHATEVER RACE YOU ARE, HAVEN'T
BEEN ABLE TO CHANGE THAT.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE THAT RACE.
SO, LET'S KIND OF RAISE OUR
SIGHTS A LITTLE BIT.
REMEMBER MY ANALOGY OF THE
FOOTBALL FIELD.
I ASSUME THAT, AND I KNOW WHAT
ASSUMPTIONS MEAN SO YOU DON'T
HAVE TO TELL ME THAT.
BUT YOU'RE HERE AT THE NIH.
I BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE FOR A
REASON.
THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO
CONSIDER, AND SOMETHING TO
ACCOMPLISH.
THINK ABOUT THE GOALS.
WHY DID YOU COME HERE?
DO YOU STILL THINK THIS IS A
PLACE WHERE YOU CAN REACH THAT
GOAL?
IF SO, REMEMBER MY ADVICE
REGARDING CRITICISM.
YOU'RE GOING TO ALWAYS BE
CRITICIZED.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET OVER THAT
AND MOVE AROUND IT.
NOT IGNORING IT, NOT SAYING IT
DOESN'T HURT.
BUT YOU LEARN TO DEAL WITH THE
CRITICISM.
HOW DO YOU LEARN TO DEAL WITH
THAT?
YOU LEARN BY, HERE AT THE NIH,
YOU LEARN BY GIVING FACTUAL
RESPONSES.
EQUIP YOURSELF WITH APPROPRIATE
BACKGROUND AND DATA, AND STAND
STRONG.
AGAIN IN FOOTBALL, I DON'T KNOW
IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS
STRATEGY WHERE SOMETIMES A TEAM
WILL TRY TO GET YOU TO JUMP
OFFSIDES TO GET PENALIZED.
THAT CAN HAPPEN WITH MINORITIES.
DR. PINN MENTIONED
MICROAGGRESSIONED.
THEY CAN MAKE YOU JUMP OFFSIDES.
WHEN YOU JUMP OFFSIDE YOU GET
PENALIZED.
DON'T JUMP.
I'M ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY TO
STAND FIRM.
BE COMMITTED TO THE SCIENCE THAT
YOU CAME HERE TO DO.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH MENTORS
THAT WILL HELP YOU.
AND YOU HAVE FOUR PEOPLE HERE IN
FRONT OF YOU, I KNOW YOU MAY NOT
KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH
ME, BUT THERE'S DR. BEVERLY
WATKINS HERE AT THE NIH.
SHE KNOWS HOW TO REACH EACH OF
US.
AND I GUESS I MAKE THIS OUTREACH
TO YOU TODAY.
IF YOU NEED SOME SUPPORT, YOU
NEED SOMEBODY TO LISTEN, YOU
NEED SOME GUIDANCE, I'M YOUR
COACH ON THE SIDELINES.
COME TO ME.
I'M READY TO HELP PLAY THIS GAME
OF SCIENCE WITH YOU.
HANG IN THERE.
WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DR. HARDEN.
WE HAVE A QUESTION IN THE
AUDIENCE.
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL
SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR
EXPERTISE AND YOUR WISDOM.
THIS IS JUST AMAZING.
SO, I LOVE THE FOOTBALL ANALOGY.
SO, LAYING FOUNDATION FOR MY
QUESTION, SO TEAM SCIENCE, WE'VE
GOT THE SCIENTIFIC PART, THE
SCIENTIFIC PLAYERS AND I
REMEMBER THE OTHER -- I
REPRESENT THE OTHER ASPECT, THE
PROGRAMS.
IN HEALTH RESEARCH IN GENERAL
THE FOOTBALL FIELD IS LAID ON
WHAT?
FUNDING.
SO, THE SPACE THAT I WORK IN
WHICH LEADS UP TO THE QUESTION
IS I CURRENTLY WORK WITHIN THE
NIH SPACE TO ENGAGE
MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS.
RIGHT NOW SPECIFICALLY WE'RE
FOCUSED ON STRENGTHENING A
PARTNERSHIP WITH HOWARD
UNIVERSITY.
BUT IN GENERAL, AS A PROGRAM
PERSON, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT
ANY WISDOM OR STRATEGIES YOU MAY
HAVE ON THE -- FOR NIH PEOPLE
WHO ARE IN THE PROGRAM SPACE TO
STRENGTHEN OUR MINORITY-SERVING
INSTITUTIONS.
AS WE ALL KNOW HERE OUR
MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS,
HBCUs, OFTEN LACK
INFRASTRUCTURE AND JUST THE
RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE IN
A WHOLE DIFFERENT SPACE.
SO WE'RE WORKING FROM THE NIH TO
SAY, HEY, WE HAVE FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT WE NEED SOME MORE WISDOM
AROUND STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE AND
REALLY PENETRATE WITHIN THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT THEY CAN
RISE UP AND GET THE FUNDING TO
DO THE RESEARCH BECAUSE AS YOU
ALL KNOW, WORKING WITH
MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS
AND HBCUs IS SO IMPORTANT TO
HEALTH DISPARITIES BECAUSE THEY
NEED HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO
GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING
TO DO THE RESEARCH.
SO THAT'S MY QUESTION, THAT'S A
BIG QUESTION, AND I'LL TAKE YOU
UP ON THE MENTORSHIP OFFER.
SO WE CAN BUILD UP.
BUT JUST AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL,
ANY STRATEGIES THAT YOU HAVE FOR
ENGAGING AND WORKING WITH
HBCUs AND MINORITY-SERVING
INSTITUTIONS SO THEY RISE UP TO
THE CALL TO APPLY FOR FUNDING TO
DO THEIR RESEARCH?
>> SURE, THAT'S A REALLY GREAT
QUESTION.
THERE'S REALLY A WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW REGARDING
THE ENGAGEMENT OF
MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS.
THERE'S MUCH MORE INTEREST, YOU
KNOW, IN REALLY SUPPORTING THE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPACITY OUT
THERE IN COMMUNITIES.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE'S
THIS WHOLE AREA OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGED RESEARCH, IT'S REALLY
HAVING A TAILWIND RIGHT NOW
THROUGHOUT MANY OF THE
INSTITUTES AT NIH.
THERE'S ALSO A RECOGNITION THAT
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN A VACUUM.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN
CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO THERE'S SEVERAL INITIATIVES
THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW,
VERY BIG ONE HAVING TO DO WITH
THE OFFICE OF DATA SCIENCE
STRATEGY, TO HELP BUILD THE DATA
SCIENCE CAPACITY IN HBCUs AND
OTHER MINORITY-SERVING
INSTITUTIONS.
THEY MADE INVESTMENTS OVER
SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES, HOWARD
UNIVERSITY AND MOREHOUSE AS
WELL.
AS WE THINK THROUGH HOW DO WE
IMPLEMENT INTERVENTIONS OUT
THERE IN COMMUNITIES, WHO ARE
THE LOGICAL PARTNERS IN THAT
TYPE OF RESEARCH?
AND WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO
BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT, THAT'S
GOING TO HAVE A CHANGE OUT THERE
IN THE COMMUNITIES?
AND THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
BEEN COMPLETELY UNDERFUNDED
HISTORICALLY, HAVE BEEN
NEGLECTED AND OVERLOOKED
HISTORICALLY.
BUT NOW STARTING TO BE,
STARTING, NOT GOING TO
OVERPROMISE, I'M GOING TO
UNDERPROMISE AND OVERDELIVER
HOPEFULLY, BUT THAT THEY ARE
VERY VALUABLE ASSETS IN WHAT NIH
IS REALLY TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO, WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU
VERY, VERY SPECIFICALLY IS THAT
THERE ARE SEVERAL INSTITUTES
RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE
FOCUSING A LOT OF TIME, EFFORT,
AND RESOURCES TOWARDS THAT.
NIMHD, NHLBI, AND WE NEED TO
DEVELOP SOME TYPE OF
COMPREHENSIVE AND THOUGHTFUL
STRATEGY TO REALLY BUILD THAT
CAPACITY.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO
ME WHEN YOU CAN AND BE PART OF
THE DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE GOING
ON RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU, DR. STINSON.
WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION
FROM AN AUDIENCE MEMBER.
>> COULD I --
>> OH.
>> ADD TO THAT RESPONSE.
I WOULD CAUTION, HOWEVER, THAT
YOU REQUIRE AND MAKE CERTAIN
THAT THE MINORITY-SERVING
INSTITUTION PRODUCES A PRODUCT
AND THEY ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THE
PARTNERSHIP.
HAVING BEEN AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY
FOR 11 1/2 YEARS, AND DR. PINN
COULD I'M SURE ELABORATE ON
THIS, SHE'S BEEN THERE AS WELL,
ALL MINORITY INSTITUTIONS AREN'T
THE SAME.
AND SOME, YOU CAN PUT MONEY, YOU
NEED MORE THAN MONEY.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PERSON ON
THAT END, THE OTHER END, THAT'S
COMMITTED TO PRODUCING THE
PRODUCT THAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR,
BUYING WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
AND SO YOU NEED TO INSIST THAT
YOU ARE GOING TO GET THE
PRODUCT, OR SERIOUS EFFORT, TO
DEVELOP THAT PRODUCT BEFORE YOU
INVEST.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. OLDEN.
WE HAVE A QUESTION ON THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF
THE KNOWLEDGE AND ADVICE AND
YOUR STORIES THAT YOU SHARED
TODAY.
I AM MIA ROCHELLE LOUDEN, I WORK
AT THE NIH, PART OF THE UNITE
INITIATIVE FOR ENDING STRUCTURAL
RACISM.
ONE THING THAT CAME OUT IS THE
RECOGNITION PROJECT, WHERE WE
CHANGED SOME OF THE ART ON THE
WALLS TO BETTER REFLECT THE
BROAD RANGE OF DIVERSITY OF
PEOPLE WHO WORK AT THE NIH.
BUT I HAVE FOUND IT'S HARD TO
UNDERSTAND MORE OF THE HISTORY,
LOOKING BACK BEFORE 2020, BEFORE
THE UNITE INITIATIVE BEGAN, TO
UNDERSTAND ALL THE WONDERFUL
CONTRIBUTION ALSO, MANY
DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES OF COLOR,
NOT JUST SCIENTISTS, HAVE MADE
TO THE NIH.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU
HAVE ADVICE HOW NIH CAN DO
BETTER TO SHOW IMPACT EMPLOYEES
HAD OVER THE AGENCY.
I LISTENED TO YOUR STORIES, A
WONDERFUL TRADITION OF ORAL
HISTORY, PASSING IT DOWN THAT
WAY, BUT NOT EVERYONE COULD MAKE
IT TODAY TO HEAR THESE STORIES
SO WHAT ARE WAYS WE CAN SHOWCASE
YOUR STORIES AND OTHERS IN A WAY
THAT WILL BE MORE LASTING AND BE
ABLE TO REACH EVEN MORE PEOPLE?
>> WELL, ONE THING THAT WE COULD
DO, I'M DOING THAT, PROVIDING MY
PAPERS, WRITING MY OWN MEMOIR IN
A WAY, AND THE NATIONAL -- THE
NIH HAS AN ARCHIVE, AND THEY
HAVE ASKED ME FOR THEM AND SO
I'M GOING TO PUT MY PAPERS, MY
COMMUNICATIONS, MY THINKING
ABOUT ISSUES, PROGRAMS WE
DEVELOPED, WHY WE DEVELOPED
THEM, AND KIDS CAN READ THEM A
HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW, I HOPE,
AND MY GRANDCHILDREN AND
CHILDREN WILL GO IN AND READ
THEM.
SO I THINK THAT ALL OF US COULD
DO THAT.
THERE IS AN ARCHIVE HERE.
AND THEY WILL TAKE YOUR PAPERS.
AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE FOR
RESEARCH.
AND SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
SO IN MY CASE I'M SITTING DOWN
AND WRITING A CASE UP.
I CAN SAY THAT, LISTENING ABOUT
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH COMMUNITY
BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH,
WELL, THAT WAS A MAJOR
INVESTMENT WE MADE IN 1991.
AND WE'RE RECOGNIZED FOR THAT,
BY RESEARCH AMERICA.
AND SO I MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T
FORGET THAT.
WRITE IT UP.
AND PUT A FOLDER IN YOUR
ARCHIVE.
SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THESE
CONCEPTS STARTED, WHO DEVELOPED
THEM, OR ELSE YOU WILL -- SO YOU
HAVE TO DO THAT.
OTHERWISE, I READ NOW THINGS
THAT I KNOW HOW THEY GOT
STARTED, BUT WHEN YOU READ THE
PRESS YOU MIGHT NOT BELIEVE
THAT.
SO SOMEBODY HAS TO SET THE
STORY, THE RECORD, RIGHT.
AND SAY THIS STARTED ON THIS
DAY, THIS TIME, AND THIS IS HOW,
THESE WERE THE PLAYERS.
AND THEY CAN FIND OUT IF IT'S
RIGHT OR WRONG.
IT'S HISTORY.
>> DR. OLDEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE YOU SPOKE
ABOUT DR. KIRSCHSTEIN AND DR.
RABSON, VERY MUCH IMPRESSING ON
EVERYONE AROUND THEM AT THAT
TIME THE IMPORTANCE OF ARCHIVES,
OF MAINTAINING, IN FACT AT THAT
TIME YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A
LOG OF EVERY PHONE CALL THAT
CAME INTO THE OFFICE, EVERYTHING
YOU DID, YOU DIDN'T PUT IT IN
THE TRASH IT WENT INTO ARCHIVES
TO ARE SAVED FOR FUTURE
REFERENCE.
OVER 30 YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE IT
SEEMS TO BE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO
JUST DON'T EVEN GRASP THAT
ANYMORE.
I WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN LOST
AND WHAT'S BEING LOST.
AND I THINK I UNDERSTOOD THE
ESSENCE OF YOUR QUESTION.
IF NOT I'M GOING TO ANSWER WHAT
I THINK WHAT I WANTED YOU TO
ASK.
IT REALLY DISTURBS ME TO SEE
THINGS THAT WERE DONE AND
ADDRESSED 20, 30 YEARS AGO, AND
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY ARE
LIKE NEW ISSUES.
WE SHOULD BE BUILDING ON WHAT
WE'VE DONE INSTEAD OF COMING UP
WITH NEW ISSUES.
THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUDING
DIVERSE POPULATIONS IN CLINICAL
TRIALS, DURING THE COVID
PANDEMIC, WHEN WE FIRST
IMPLEMENTED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
INCLUSION THAT WAS REALLY PART
OF THE NIH REVITALIZATION ACT OF
1994, WE COVERED THAT.
WE HAVE REPORTS ADDRESSING THAT.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, WITHIN THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS, PEOPLE ARE
RAISING QUESTIONS, HOW DO YOU
RECRUIT MINORITIES INTO CLINICAL
TRIALS?
AND I JUST SAY LOOK AT THIS
REPORT, BECAUSE WE COVERED ALL
THAT.
IT'S ALL OUTLINED HOW YOU DO IT,
WHAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
BUT I THINK -- AND SO I REALLY
GET CONCERNED, IN FACT I'VE SAID
I WON'T EVEN GO BEYOND A PANIC,
I SPOKE SO MUCH ABOUT THAT 20
YEARS AGO, I REFUSE TO COME AND
TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN BECAUSE WHAT
HAS HAPPENED WAS NOT RECOGNIZING
OUR HISTORY, SO WE -- AS THOUGH
WE NEVER DID IT BEFORE.
KEN IS RIGHT, IT NEEDS TO BE
WRITTEN UP BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE
ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION.
SOME REPORTS FOR EXAMPLE WE DID
ON SOME ISSUES I SEE ARE BEING
ADDRESSED AGAIN TODAY, THEY ARE
NOT ON THE WEBSITE.
THEY ARE LOST SOMEWHERE, BECAUSE
THEY ARE NOT MEETING THE
STANDARDS FOR WHAT HAS TO BE, TO
BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE, AND I
GET CONCERNED BECAUSE I THINK
WE'RE LOSING A LOT OF
INFORMATION BECAUSE PEOPLE NOW
DON'T WANT TO HEAR -- THEY WANT
TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE WEBSITE
AND PULL IT OUT.
NOT ONLY IT'S IMPORTANT TO
PRESERVE WHAT WE'VE DONE BUT TO
MAKE SURE WHAT PAST HISTORY HAS
BROUGHT US IS SUCCESSFUL AND
PEOPLE CAN HAVE ACCESS TODAY.
TODAY THAT MEANS GOING THROUGH
THE WEB.
WE RECOGNIZE AND BUILD.
I GET DISTRESSED WITH SEEING
PEOPLE REPEATING AND ASKING THE
QUESTIONS THAT WE REPEATED THAT
WE ASKED 20, 30 YEARS AGO, DID
WE DO IT ALL IN VAIN?
THAT GETS FRUSTRATING.
THAT MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU ASKED
BUT IT'S A COMMENT I FEEL
COMFORTABLE MAKING.
>> DR. MIA LOUDEN, I'M GLAD YOU
ASKED THAT QUESTION.
I GUESS MY RESPONSE TO YOU IS
REMEMBER LOADING UP THE
FOOTBALL.
GETTING READY TO LOB IT.
I NEED YOU TO WRITE.
THAT'S WHAT I NEED YOU TO DO.
AS EVERYONE HAS INDICATED, WE
CANNOT LET OUR HISTORY FADE AND
GO INTO THE NIGHT QUIETLY.
IF WE ARE NOT INVESTED IN
DOCUMENTING WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED,
IN YOUR TIME, IN THE EFFORTS YOU
PUT FORWARD, LET'S DOCUMENT
THAT.
GET IT INTO A MANUSCRIPT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE
ARCHIVES UNTIL YOU'VE AMASSED
THIS LONG CAREER.
THERE'S A PUBLICATION OR JOURNAL
OUT THERE THAT WILL TAKE THE
HISTORY AS YOU CAN WRITE IT NOW.
WE HAD A ESTABLISHED SOMETHING
AT THE TIME D.E.I. WAS SPECIAL
POPULATIONS SO WE HAD A SPECIAL
POPULATIONS RESEARCH FORUM.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S STILL
GOING ON.
IT'S STILL GOING ON, YAY!
LET'S GET THAT GROUP, RATHER
THAN JUST MEETING AND HAVING THE
INVITED SPEAKERS, LET'S TAKE
THAT HOUR OR SO, HOUR,
HOUR-AND-A-HALF, WORK ON THE
NEXT PUBLICATION.
INVITE ME BACK.
I CAN MAKE IT OVER FROM
VIRGINIA.
I'D LOVE TO SIT IN AND SEE WHAT
YOU ALL ARE UP TO.
IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
>> WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OUR PROGRAM IS COMING TO A
CLOSE.
I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FROM
ONLINE.
AND WE HAVE ONE QUESTION IN THE
ROOM.
I WILL JUST STATE THAT THE
PROGRAM DOES END AT 2:00 FOR THE
ONLINE AUDIENCE, IF YOU HAVE TO
LEAVE BUT WE'LL CONTINUE WITH
THE PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE WE ASK
THE QUESTIONS IN THE AUDIENCE.
SO ONLINE?
>> CAN YOU EACH TELL US ABOUT
YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGES AND HOW
YOU OVERCAME THEM?
>> COULD YOU EACH TELL US ABOUT
YOUR PERSONAL CHALLENGES AND HOW
YOU OVERCAME THEM?
>> WELL, I SAID MY GREATEST
CHALLENGE WAS OBVIOUSLY GROWING
UP IN A RURAL AREA, WITH POOR
EDUCATION, POOR SCHOOLS.
AND POVERTY.
THOSE ARE TWO THINGS THAT ARE
REALLY DEVASTATING AND IT IS NOT
EASY TO OVERCOME.
BUT IN A MINUTE, WHAT I DID IS
MADE A DECISION THAT I WAS NOT
GOING TO BE A SHARECROPPER,
FIRST OF ALL.
THAT MEANT I HAD TO TRANSFORM MY
LIFE AND I WAS DETERMINED TO
TRANSFORM MY LIFE.
SO, WHILE I DID MY FARM WORK,
WITH MY DAD, I THEN SKIPPED TO
THE LIBRARY, READ EVERYTHING I
COULD FIND, BOOKS AND BOOKS,
READ EVERYTHING, TO GET IN
COLLEGE.
WHEN I GOT IN COLLEGE I WORKED
LIKE HELL TO MAKE SURE I HAD
GOOD GREATS -- GRADES TO GO TO
MEDICAL SCHOOL, I THOUGHT, AND
THEN A Ph.D. IN CELL AND
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY.
THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR HARD
WORK, NOT THAT I ENJOYED IT.
BUT THE POINT IS, I WAS
DETERMINED TO BE WHAT I WANTED
TO BE IN LIFE, AND I WAS NOT
GOING TO ALLOW MY CIRCUMSTANCES
TO DICTATE WHAT I WAS GOING TO
BE.
SO, JUST THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I
HAVE TO SAY.
>> THANK YOU.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ANSWER
THIS QUESTION?
DR. HARDEN?
>> I'VE SUMMARIZED MOST OF MY
BARRIERS IN SCIENCE AND IT GOES
BACK TO DISCRIMINATION, PEOPLE
OUTSIDE OF ME RESPONDING TO ME
IN A CERTAIN WAY.
SEEING MY DIFFERENCES AND MAKING
INFERENCES ABOUT THOSE
DIFFERENCES.
USUALLY IN THE NEGATIVE
CONNOTATION.
SEPARATION, AGAIN WHEN YOU'RE ON
ONE SIDE OF THE CITY AND YOU
DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT LIES ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY, BECAUSE
WE HAD BARRIERS AND WE WERE
SEPARATED, LACK OF
TRANSPORTATION, LACK OF
RESOURCES, POVERTY.
ALL OF THAT.
AND THE SEGREGATION, OUR
LIBRARIES WEREN'T AS WELL
FUNDED.
MY THEME, THE DSS,
DISCRIMINATION, SEGREGATION AND
SEPARATION WERE BEAR --
BARRIERS.
HOW DID I OVERCOME IN THE MOST
IMPORTANT PART.
FAMILY SUPPORT, TO PUSH FORWARD
TOWARD A GOAL, BEING
CONSCIENTIOUS.
I WAS ALWAYS A CURIOUS CHILD, A
CURIOUS ADULT.
AND WILL RATTLE OFF A NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS.
SO, THE WAY TO OVERCOME IS TO
KNOW WHAT YOUR BARRIERS OR BE
-- OBSTACLES ARE.
WITH RESOURCES WE HAVE IN THIS
DAY AND AGE DOESN'T MAKE MUCH TO
FIGURE OUT SOME SOLUTIONS BUT
INHERENTLY THE SOLUTION IS
ALWAYS LEARN, LEARN, LEARN.
AND THEN LEARN TO EXECUTE THE
PLAN THAT YOU COME UP WITH TO
OVERCOME THE BARRIERS.
BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO
BE ANOTHER BARRIER, AS YOU GO
FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
>> DR. STINSON?
>> COULD I SAY ONE THING ELSE?
I PAID -- I SHINED SHOES FOR
15-CENT PER PAIR, AND SAVED
ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY MY COLLEGE
TUITION YEAR ONE.
THAT'S COMMITMENT.
I DIDN'T BUY A CAR WITH MY
MONEY.
I SAVED IT TO PAY MY FIRST YEAR
OF COLLEGE TUITION.
MY PARENTS DIDN'T HAVE ONE RED
PENNY TO CONTRIBUTE AND NEVER
DID, TO MY COLLEGE TUITION.
EITHER I WAS GOING TO COLLEGE ON
MY OWN OR I WASN'T GOING.
I WENT.
>> I WILL JUST SAY SUCCINCTLY MY
BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS TO REALLY
DETERMINE WHAT OPPORTUNITIES
WERE AVAILABLE TO ME.
YOU KNOW, INFORMATION IS
ALWAYS -- IS KEY, AND SOMETIMES
SOME PEOPLE HAVE INFORMATION,
OTHER PEOPLE DON'T HAVE
INFORMATION.
AND SO PERSISTENCE IS SOMETHING
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT,
AND IT GOES BACK TO WHAT I
MENTIONED BEFORE.
UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOUR GOAL IS,
AND TAKING THE STEPS TO ASSURE
YOU MEET THAT GOAL.
FOR ME PERSISTENCE WAS ONE OF
THOSE THINGS.
>> SOMETIMES WHEN I'M TALKING AS
YOU GET OLDER YOU DON'T MIND
SHOWING PICTURES I USED TO HIDE,
THE OLD FAMILY PICTURES.
NOW WHEN I THINK ABOUT
OPPORTUNITIES I SHOW A PICTURE
OF ME AS A BALD-HEADED BABY IN
MY MOTHER'S ARMS WITH HER
MOTHER, MY GRANDMOTHER, AND MY
GREAT GRAND-MOTHER LIZZIE, A
DESCENDANT OF SLAVES, TAKEN WHEN
I WAS A BABY ON THE FARM IN
HALIFAX, VIRGINIA WHERE I WAS
BORN, NO RUNNING WATER, NO
ELECTRICITY.
WE DIDN'T THINK OF OURSELVES
BEING POOR BECAUSE EDUCATION WAS
THE IMPORTANT THING.
AND I SHOW THAT PICTURE OF ME, I
WOULDN'T HAVE SHOWN 10 OR 20 OR
30 YEARS AGO BUT NOW I DON'T
CARE IF YOU SEE THE BALD-HEADED
BABY.
IF I COULD GO FROM THIS LITTLE
FARM, THIS BALD-HEADED BABY ON
THE FARM TO THE PATH AND
POSITIONS AND TRAVELS THAT I'VE
HAD, THEN ANYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE
TO DO IT.
AND JUST IT'S A MATTER OF
KNOWING WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
IT WAS A MATTER OF KNOWING TO
READ, TO KEEP UP WITH YOUR
LESSONS, REMEMBER I WENT THROUGH
TOTALLY SEGREGATED SCHOOLS, AND
SO -- BUT TEACHERS NOURISHED US.
YOU MAY NOT HAVE HAD EQUIPMENT
AND LABS OTHERS HAD BUT YOU HAD
NOURISHMENT OF TEACHERS WHO KNEW
YOU, YOUR FAMILIES, YOUR
COMMUNITY.
IT COMES BACK TO WHAT I SAID
BEFORE, WHICH NATE AND OTHERS
POINTED OUT, YOU'VE GOT TO --
SOME SAY YOU CAN ONLY BE WHAT
YOU SEE BUT I HADN'T REALLY SEEN
A WOMAN PHYSICIAN.
I DIDN'T KNOW, BUT SOMEHOW THAT
IMPRESSED ME AS SOMETHING I
WANTED TO DO.
I THINK IF YOU'RE ADVANCED AND
WANT TO BE IN SCIENCE OR
MEDICINE, YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH
SOMETHING, KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE
PRIZE AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
AND GO FOR IT.
AND AS I THINK -- IS IT KEN OR
TAYLOR?
SOMEBODY ALREADY SAID REACH FOR
THE STARS BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T
GO FOR WHAT IS THE BEST, WHAT
YOU'RE NOT SURE YOU CAN ATTAIN,
YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT
HAVE MISSED.
I NEVER WOULD HAVE DREAMED
COMING UP IN HALIFAX OR
LYNCHBURG I WOULD BE SITTING ON
THE STAGE AT NIH GIVING YOU
ADVICE ABOUT MY CAREER.
BUT IT'S JUST -- YOU KNOW, I WAS
NOT AFRAID TO GO FOR NEW
COMMUNITIES.
MANY CAME THROUGH.
SOME DIDN'T, SOME DID.
SO, MY ADVICE IS, YOU KNOW, JUST
BE -- THINK ABOUT HOW FORTUNATE
YOU ARE TO EVEN BE CONSIDERING
CAREERS IN SCIENCE AND MEDICINE
AND JUST GO FOR IT AND GIVE IT
YOUR ALL AND AGAIN, AS I SAID
BEFORE, DON'T LET THOSE
DISTRACTIONS TAKE YOUR MIND AND
YOUR PURPOSE AWAY FROM YOU.
I THINK I'VE REPEATED THAT OVER
AND OVER BUT I REALLY FEEL
STRONGLY.
REMEMBER THE BALD-HEADED BABY ON
THE FARM, AND HERE I AM ON
COVERS OF MAGAZINES, WHO WOULD
HAVE EVER THOUGHT.
>> I'M HUMBLED BY EACH AND EVERY
ONE OF YOU.
I'M TRYING NOT TO CRY BECAUSE
I'M A LITTLE EMOTIONAL.
BUT TO SHARE THE AIR WITH YOU
ALL, TO ME, IS JUST PRICELESS.
AT THIS POINT WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE OUR LAST QUESTION IN THE
AUDIENCE.
AND WE'RE THEN GOING TO CLOSE
OUT OUR PROGRAM.
>> WELL, THIS IS NOT A QUESTION.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, DR. PINN,
DR. STINSON, DR. HARDEN, AND DR.
OLDEN, THANK YOU.
I CAME HERE TODAY TO -- I MANAGE
THE INTERPRETING SERVICES
PROGRAM.
I CAME HERE TO OBSERVE.
AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT A TREAT I
WAS IN FOR, TO BE ABLE TO HEAR
YOUR WONDERFUL STORIES AND ALL
THAT YOU'VE DONE TO MAKE THE
WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
[APPLAUSE]
>> I THINK THOSE WERE WONDERFUL
SENTIMENTS TO END OUR PROGRAM
WITH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
AND SO AS WE CONCLUDE, 60 YEARS
LATER, HONORING BLACK
TRAILBLAZERS IN HEALTH AND
SCIENCE WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR
THE PRIVILEGE OF SHARING IN THE
REMARKABLE JOURNEYS OF DR.
VIVIAN PINN, DR. NATHAN STINSON,
DR. KENNETH OLDEN, AND DR. J
TAYLOR HARDEN.
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN A TIMELESS
CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE AND
RESILIENCE, AND THE ENDURING
IMPACT OF TRAILBLAZERS WHO HAVE
SHAPED THE LANDSCAPE OF HEALTH
AND SCIENCE.
THEIR STORIES RESONATE, NOT JUST
IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PAST SIX
DECADES BUT AS BEACONS, GUIDING
US TOWARDS A FUTURE WHERE
PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE IS MARKED
BY DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND
CONTINUED EXCELLENCE.
AS WE CARRY FORWARD THE LESSONS
LEARNED AND INSPIRATION GAINED
LET US COLLECTIVELY COMMIT
OURSELVES TO FOSTERING AND
ENVIRONMENT WHERE BLACK
EXCELLENCE AND EXCELLENCE IN ALL
FORMS CONTINUES TO FLOURISH.
I'M GOING TO INTERRUPT BECAUSE
DR. HARDING AND DR. OLDEN SAID
WHAT RESONATED WITH ME.
EQUITY IS AIR.
SO EVERYONE DESERVES EQUITY.
AND WE ALL HAVE EXCELLENCE.
TODAY WE'RE CELEBRATING BLACK
EXCELLENCE.
BUT EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY
AS WE'VE HEARD TO SUCCEED, NO
MATTER WHAT YOUR BARRIERS ARE,
TO NOT ALLOW THE ISMS TO IMPACT
US BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW
NO LIMITS.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE NO LIMITS.
SOMEONE SAYS I CAN'T?
OKAY, I CAN.
THERE ARE NO LIMITS.
SO, AS WE CARRY FORWARD THE
LESSONS LEARNED AND INSPIRATION
GAINED FROM THIS LEGACY OF
TRAILBLAZERS, THAT IS NOT
CONFINED ONLY TO A SPECIFIC AREA
BUT IS A TIMELESS INSPIRATION
THAT TRANSCENDS BOUNDARIES, AND
PROPELS US INTO A FUTURE WHERE
CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE IS
KNOWN TO NO LIMITS.
WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING A
PART OF THIS CELEBRATION.
A TESTAMENT TO THE ENDURING
IMPACT OF BLACK EXCELLENCE IN
HEALTH AND SCIENCE.
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, LET US IN
THE SPIRIT OF 60 YEARS LATER
GUIDE OUR ENDEAVORS TOWARD A
FUTURE MARKED WITH, AGAIN,
EXCELLENCE.
AT THIS TIME, WE ARE FINISHED
WITH OUR PROGRAM.
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THE
PANELISTS FOR EVERYONE HERE IS
HERE SUPPORTING.
LET'S GIVE OUR PANELISTS A ROUND
OF APPLAUSE. 2909 01:55:08,301 [APPLAUSE]