>>WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO VIVEK
MURTHY DISTINGUISHED LECTURE
SERIES ON PUBLIC HEALTH
LEADERSHIP.
THIS LECTURE SERIES IS IN
CELEBRATION OF THE ASIAN
AMERICAN AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN
PACIFIC ISLANDER MONTH FROM
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
FROM THE FEDERAL ASIAN PACIFIC
AMERICAN COUNCIL, WHICH IS KNOWN
AS FAPAC, FROM THE HHS AND OTHER
AGENCIES LIKE FDA, CDC, HRSA, HIR.
MY NAME IS RINA DAS, DIVISION
DIRECTOR.
SO WE KNOW HEALTH OF POPULATION
IN THE WORLD IS ULTIMATELY
DEPENDENT UPON THE SUCCESS OF
OUR PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE.
PARTICULARLY OUR PUBLIC HEALTH
LEADERS.
AT THE LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL
AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.
TODAY'S EVENT IS INCREDIBLY
MEANINGFUL TO THE AA AND NHPI
COMMUNITY BECAUSE TODAY WE HAVE
WITH US THE U.S. SURGEON
GENERAL, VIVEK MURTHY, AND MAYOR
OF BOSTON, MICHELLE WU.
TWO GREAT PUBLIC HEALTH LEADERS
TO INSPIRE OUR NEXT GENERATION.
SO TO START US OFF, IT'S MY
GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE
DR. ELISEO PEREZ-STABLE, WHO
WILL PROVIDE WITH SOME WELCOME
REMARKS AND SHARE SOME OF HIS
THOUGHTS TO KICK OFF THIS GREAT
EXCITING EVENT.
DR. PEREZ-STABLE, TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU, RINA.
AND WELCOME, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS ELISEO PEREZ-STABLE,
DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE ON MINORITY HEALTH AND
HEALTH DISPARITIES, AND I'M
REALLY PROUD OF OUR SPONSORSHIP
OF THIS SECOND ANNUAL VIVEK
MURTHY LECTURE EVENT IN
CELEBRATION OF ASIAN HERITAGE
MONTH.
AND I'M REALLY ESPECIALLY PROUD
THAT MICHELLE WU AGREED TO JOIN
US TODAY IN THIS CONVERSATION.
AS YOU HEARD, MAY IS A
CELEBRATION OF ASIAN AMERICANS,
NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND PACIFIC
ISLANDERS IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE GOAL OF THE VIVEK H. MURTHY
SERIES ON PUBLIC HEALTH
LEADERSHIP IS TO RECOGNIZE A
PUBLIC HEALTH LEADER WHOSE
ENDURING EFFORTS HAVE MADE A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ADVANCING
PUBLIC HEALTH.
AT THE FIRST MEETING, DR. MURTHY
RECOGNIZED DR. VICTOR SAO AND
TODAY WE HAVE THE HONOR OF
HAVING MICHELLE WU, THE MAYOR OF
BOSTON, ATTEND US.
SO WE ARE EXPANDING OUR HORIZONS
AT NIH BY INCLUDING THE MAYOR OF
A MAJOR CITY IN THE UNITED
STATES.
THE GOAL IS FOR THIS TO CONTINUE
ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, AND IT IS
REALLY CONSISTENT WITH NIH'S
EFFORT ON ADDRESSING HEALTH
EQUITY.
IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE
LIVED THROUGH AN ESPECIALLY
STRESSFUL TIME WITH THE PANDEMIC
IN A SMALL GROUP CONVERSATION A
COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, SOMEONE
COMMENTED WHEN THE PANDEMIC
CAME, THERE WAS THIS BIG
FIRESTORM, AND NIH RAN TO THE FIRE TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO.
AND I THINK THAT CAPTURES THE
SENSE OF WHAT WE ALL FELT IN
2020.
TWO YEARS LATER, IT'S NOT OVER,
BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE A MUCH
BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON WHAT THE
ISSUES ARE AND WHAT WE NEED TO
DO.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT ADDRESSING
HEALTH EQUITY, ABOUT ADDRESSING
STRUCTURAL RACISM AND
DISCRIMINATION, IS REALLY
SOMETHING WE CAN EXTEND TO MANY
OTHER PARTS OF OUR EFFORTS AND
OUR WORK.
TODAY DR. MURTHY AND MS. WU WILL
DISCUSS PERSONAL REFLECTIONS ON
VARIOUS TOPICS GUIDED BY OUR
FANTASTIC MODERATOR, SO WE LOOK
FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION
BETWEEN THESE TWO LEADERS.
SO I WILL PASS IT ON TO THE
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NIMHD,
DR. MONICA WEBB HOOPER, WHO'S
BEEN WITH US FOR A LITTLE OVER
TWO YEARS, AND JUST SIDE BY SIDE
IN ALL OF THE -- IN ADDRESSING
ALL OF THESE ISSUES OVER THIS
TIME.
MONICA?
>> THANK YOU, DR. PEREZ-STABLE,
AND WELCOME, EVERYONE.
I AM DELIGHTED AND HONORED TO
MODERATE THE SECOND YEAR OF THIS
EVENT.
THE FORMAT OF THE VIVEK H. MUR
THEEL DISTINGUISHED LECTURE
SERIES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
LEADERSHIP IS A VIRTUAL
CONVERSATION OR A FIRE SIDE CHAT
RATHER THAN A LECTURE OR A
FORMAL PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HEARING
FROM TWO AMAZING, FASCINATING
GUESTS AND I THINK THAT THIS IS
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND PERHAPS
EVEN MORE INTERESTING TO HAVE A
MORE INFORMAL CONVERSATION THAT
WILL ALLOW US TO LEARN ABOUT
THESE DISTINGUISHED INDIVIDUALS
IN A DIFFERENT WAY TO HEAR THEIR
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS ON PAST AND
CURRENT EVENTS, AND TO ALLOW US
TO INCORPORATE QUESTIONS FROM
THE AUDIENCE.
SO YOU HAVE HEARD A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT OUR DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
ALREADY BUT ALLOW ME TO
INTRODUCE OUR GUESTS BY SHARING
JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, A SMALL
SELECTION OF THEIR NOT ONLY
IMPRESSIVE BUT HISTORIC CAREERS.
DR. VIVEK H. MURTHY IS THE 21ST
SURGEON GENERAL OF THE UNITED
STATES.
AS A RETURNING ROLE, PREVIOUSLY
SERVING AS THE 19TH SURGEON
GENERAL.
AS THE NATION'S DOCTOR, THE
SURGEON GENERAL'S MISSION IS TO
RESTORE TRUST BY RELYING ON THE
BEST SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION
AVAILABLE, PROVIDING CLEAR
CONSISTENT GUIDANCE AND
RESOURCES FOR THE PUBLIC, AND
ENSURING THAT WE REACH OUR MOST
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
AS THE VICE ADMIRAL OF THE U.S.
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE COMMISSION
CORE, DR. MURTHY COMMANDS A
UNIFORMED SERVICE OF 6,000
DEDICATED PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICERS
SERVING THE MOST UNDERSERVED AND
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
DOMESTICALLY AND ABROAD.
AND OUR HONOREE TODAY, MAYOR
MICHELLE WU, IS THE MAYOR OF
BOSTON.
MAYOR WU GRADUATED FROM HARVARD
COLLEGE AND HARVARD LAW SCHOOL.
SHE WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE
BOSTON CITY COUNCIL IN
NOVEMBER 2013, AND IN
JANUARY 2016, SHE WAS ELECTED
PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL,
BECOMING THE FIRST WOMAN OF
COLOR TO SERVE ON THE COUNCIL.
AND AS A COUNSELOR, MAYOR WU WAS
THE LEAD SPONSOR OF BOSTON'S
PAID PARENTAL LEAVE ORDINANCE,
AND A HEALTHCARE EQUITY
ORDINANCE PROHIBITING
DISCRIMINATION BASED ON GENDER
IDENTITY.
SHE ALSO AUTHORED BOSTON'S
COMMUNICATIONS ACCESS ORDINANCE,
WHICH GUARANTEES TRANSLATION,
INTERPRETATION AND ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGY ACCESS TO CITY
SERVICES REGARDLESS OF ENGLISH
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY OR
COMMUNICATIONS DISABILITY.
MAYOR WU HAS BEEN A VOICE FOR
ACCESSIBILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN CITY
LEADERSHIP.
SHE HAS A BACKGROUND IN
COMMUNITY ADVOCACY AS WELL,
HAVING WORKED AT THE LEGAL
SERVICES CENTER IN JAMAICA
PLAIN, PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE TO
LOW INCOME SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS, AS WELL AS AT THE
MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIP AT
BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER ON
IMMIGRATION LAW CASES FOR
SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
IN 2016, THE THEN COUNSELOR WU
WAS HONORED AS ONE OF THE 10
OUTSTANDING YOUNG LEADERS BY THE
GREATER BOSTON CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE AND IS PART OF THE
MARIE CLAIRE MAGAZINE'S 50 MOST
INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN AMERICA.
SHE WAS ELECTED MAYOR OF BOSTON
IN 2021, AND AS MAYOR, SHE IS
WORKING IN COALITION TO DELIVER
BOLD SYSTEMATIC CHANGE AND MAKE
BOSTON A CITY FOR EVERYONE.
A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL NOTES,
MAYOR WU IS FLUENT IN MANDARIN
AND SPANISH AND LIVES WITH HER
HUSBAND AND HER TWO SONS.
SO DR. MURTHY, IT IS GREAT TO
SEE YOU AGAIN, AND MAYOR WU,
CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING ELECTED
MAYOR OF BOSTON.
THAT'S FANTASTIC!
AND HUGELY IMPORTANT FOR MANY
REASONS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS
FIRESIDE CHAT WITH BOTH OF YOU.
SO LET'S MOVE DIRECTLY INTO THE
CONVERSATION.
WE ARE CELEBRATING ASIAN PACIFIC
ISLANDER -- PACIFIC AMERICAN
HERITAGE THIS MONTH, AND IT
WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR YOUR
REFLECTIONS AND PERSONAL
EXPERIENCES THAT HELP SHAPE WHO
YOU ARE, PARTICULARLY AS PART OF
THE U.S. ASIAN AMERICAN NATIVE
AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER
COMMUNITY IN THE U.S.
SO DR. MURTHY, MAY I ASK YOU TO
SHARE A LITTLE BIT WITH US.
>> I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO
SUGGEST SINCE MAYOR WU IS OUR
GUEST OF HONOR, WOULD YOU BE
OKAY IF WE STARTED WITH HER?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I AM THRILLED AND DEEPLY HUMBLED
TO BE HERE, AND I THINK WE'LL BE
POPCORNING BACK AND FORTH ANYWAY
BUT REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR GRACIOUS WELCOME, THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE WHO'S
TUNING IN.
I AM A LITTLE OVER 160 DAYS IN
TO MY NEW JOB AS MAYOR OF
BOSTON, AND STILL, IN THE
IMMIGRANT FAMILY THAT I GREW UP
IN, THE ULTIMATE HOPE WAS FOR ME
TO BE A DOCTOR.
SO DR. MURTHY IS STILL THE
EMBODIMENT OF MY PARENTS'
DREAMS, SO -- THAT POLITICS
THING.
SO FOR ME THIS MONTH IS SPECIAL,
BUT IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO
REALLY HAVE A SENSE OF EASE AND
GROUNDING IN WHAT BEING AN ASIAN
AMERICAN MEANT.
SO MUCH OF MY CHILDHOOD, I
UNDERSTAND THOSE TERMS AND
LABELS AS TWO SEPARATE
IDENTITIES, AND IT REALLY FELT
AS IF AT HOME, WHERE WE ONLY
SPOKE MANDARIN, WHERE WE ATE
DINNER WITH CHOCK CHOP STICKS EVERY
NIGHT, WHERE MY PARENTS TOOK A
WHILE TO BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE
WITH ENGLISH, AT HOME VERSUS IN
SCHOOL, WHERE I LEARNED VERY
QUICKLY WHAT FOODS NOT TO BRING
TO SCHOOL SO I WOULDN'T BE
BULLIED AND THINGS LIKE THAT,
THAT I OFTEN WAS NAVIGATING TWO
DIFFERENT WORLDS, AND TRYING TO
BE A BRIDGE OR TRYING TO PASS
AND BE ABLE TO FLOW IN MULTIPLE
SPACES.
AND THAT SENSE OF NOT QUITE
BELONGING HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART
OF MY EXISTENCE, I THINK COMING,
AGAIN, FROM AN IMMIGRANT FAMILY
WHERE THERE WERE LANGUAGE
BARRIERS, EVEN BEFORE MY MOM'S
LATER DIAGNOSIS OF SERIOUS
MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, THERE
WAS A SENSE OF WHAT SPACES WERE
BUILT FOR US, WHAT SYSTEMS
DIDN'T SEE US, FRANKLY, AND SO
MAY IS NOT ONLY A TIME TO LIFT
UP THE COMPLEXITY OF THAT
IDENTITY, IT'S ALSO MENTAL
HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH AND FOR
ME, THAT CARRIES A SPECIAL
SIGNIFICANCE BECAUSE I'M ONLY
HERE IN THIS ROLE HAVING SEEN
FIRSTHAND THE CHALLENGES AND THE
STRUGGLES THAT SO MANY FAMILIES
EXPERIENCE AND THE EXTRA BURDENS
THEN WITH LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL
BARRIERS THAT I AM WORKING TO
FIGHT EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE EXPERIENCES I BRING
FROM OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT ARE WHAT
WE WORK ON AND REMEMBER AND ARE
OPENING OURSELVES UP TO WITHIN
GOVERNMENT AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I THINK MANY PEOPLE CAN RESONATE
WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
DR. MURTHY, AS YOU REFLECT ON
THIS QUESTION, WHAT ARE KEY
EXPERIENCES THAT STAND OUT FROM
YOUR LIFE AND BACKGROUND THAT
MOTIVATED YOU TO SEEK PUBLIC
SERVICE AS PART OF YOUR CAREER
JOURNEY?
>> FIRST LET ME JUST SAY HOW
EXCITED I AM THAT MICHELLE,
MAYOR WU, IS HERE WITH US, AND
THAT YOU AGREED TO BE OUR GUEST.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T MEAN TO
EMBARRASS YOU, BUT YOU'VE BEEN
SUCH A HERO TO SO MANY PEOPLE IN
THE AAPI COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.
I STILL REMEMBER THE NIGHT YOU
WERE ELECTED, MY WIFE WHO'S
CHINESE AMERICAN WAS INCREDIBLY
EXCITED AS WAS I AND I REMEMBER
WE TOLD OUR KIDS, TWO ASIAN
AMERICAN KIDS 4 AND 5 GROWING UP
IN A WORLD WHERE THEY SOMETIMES
FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG AND
SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.
TO SEE SOMEONE LIKE YOU,
MICHELLE, WHO LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE
MY OWN TWO CHILDREN TO BE
ELECTED TO SUCH A PROMINENT
OFFICE IN OUR COUNTRY, I WANT
THEM TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT
PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND SAY, HEY,
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S A PLACE
FOR ME.
YOU KNOW, IN LEADERSHIP.
MAYBE THERE'S A PLACE FOR ME IN
PUBLIC SERVICE.
SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW HOW
MUCH THAT MEANT TO ME PERSONALLY
AND TO SEW MANY OF US.
I KNOW I'M NOT ALONE.
FOR ME, A LOT OF THE STORIES
MICHELLE SHARED ARE ACTUALLY
SIMILAR TO MINE.
I GREW UP IN A FAMILY THAT HAD A
VERY STROK STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY.
MY FAMILY IS ORIGINALLY FROM
INDIA, I GREW UP WITH CUSTOMS,
TRADITIONS FROM INDIA AND IT .
WHEN I LEFT SCHOOL AT THE END OF
THE DAY, IT WASN'T ALWAYS CLEAR
TO ME HOW MUCH THAT IDENTITY FIT
IN, AND MANY TIMES IT FELT LIKE
IT DIDN'T.
SO I STILL REMEMBER EXPERIENCES
OF BRINGING FOOD TO SCHOOL, AND
THEN OTHER KIDS SAYING, WHAT IS
THAT, THAT'S REALLY WEIRD, EWW,
THAT'S GROSS, DA DA DA, JUST
BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T FAMILIAR
WITH IT.
I DON'T BLAME THEM, WE WERE ALL
IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT THE
TIME, BUT IT SORT OF CREATED
THIS HESITANCY, YOU KNOW, ON MY
SIDE ABOUT SORT OF BRINGING WHO
I WAS AT HOME, THAT OTHER PART
OF MY IDENTITY, TO SCHOOL.
AND EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T SHY
AWAY FROM IT, IT MADE ME ANXIOUS
AT TIMES AND I WASN'T QUITE SURE
IF ALL OF ME WAS ACTUALLY
ACCEPTED.
SO THERE WAS THAT QUEST TO FIND
WHERE I REALLY BELONGED, YOU
KNOW, RECOGNIZING THAT I WASN'T
GOING TO GIVE UP MY ASIAN
AMERICAN IDENTITY, BUT I WAS
STRUGGLING TO FIND A PLACE WHERE
I ACTUALLY FIT.
OVER TIME, I WAS GRATEFUL TO
MEET PEOPLE WHO I UNDERSTOOD AND
APPRECIATED THAT PART OF ME AND
I CAME TO LEARN MORE AND MORE
ABOUT OTHER CULTURES AND
TRADITIONS AND SEE MANY, MANY OF
THE COMMON THREADS THAT EXIST
BETWEEN OUR TRADITIONS EVEN
THOUGH WE MAY EAT DIFFERENT FOOD
AND WEAR DIFFERENT CLOTHES.
SO THAT HELPED OVER TIME, BUT I
DO THINK THAT WHEN YOU'VE BEEN
AN OUTSIDER, THAT FEELING OF
BEING AN OUTSIDER NEVER TRULY
LEAVES YOUR MEMORY, SO EVEN
THOUGH I FEEL MUCH MORE LIKE I
BELONG NOW IN THE UNITED STATES,
THERE ARE CERTAINLY MOMENTS
WHERE I EXPERIENCE RACISM AND I
KNOW MANY ARE NOT ALONE IN THAT
REGARD, AND IN THOSE MOMENTS,
SOMETIMES IT MAKES US WONDER, DO
I REALLY BELONG HERE?
THE ANSWER I ALWAYS COME BACK TO
IS "YES."
BUT WE'RE ALL LIVING IN A
REALITY WHERE IT DOESN'T ALWAYS
FEEL THAT WAY.
AND THEN I'LL LASTLY SAY IN TERM
OF PUBLIC SERVICE, WHEN I WAS IN
NINTH GRADE, I REMEMBER I WAS IN
A WORLD HISTORY CLASS AND I LOVE
WORLD HISTORY AND MY TEACHER
KNEW I LOVED WORLD HISTORY.
AT THE END OF ONE OF THE CLASSES
SHE PULLED ME OVER AND SHE SAID,
YOU KNOW, VIVEK, I CAN TELL YOU
REALLY LIKE THIS MAYBE ONE DAY
YOU COULD BE SECRETARY OF STATE.
AND I REMEMBER COMING HOME TO MY
MOM AND SAYING, MOM, MOM, MISS
BRICE THINKS MAYBE I COULD BE
SECRETARY OF STATE ONE DAY.
MY MOM WAS REALLY ALARMED.
SHE CALLED MY FATHER AND SHE
SAID YOU NEED TO TALK TO HIM,
HE'S THINKING ABOUT GOING INTO
POLITICS.
AND IT WAS JUST EMBLEMATIC OF
THE STIGMA, REALLY, ASSOCIATED
WITH WORKING IN GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE MY PARENTS CAME FROM A
PLACE IN TIME WHEN THERE WAS A
LOT OF CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT
AND THEY DIDN'T WANT THEIR
CHILDREN TO BE A PART OF THAT.
AND SO IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY NOT
JUST FOR ME, TO MAKE MY WAY FROM
SCHOOL INTO THE CAREER OF
MEDICINE TO SORT OF BUILDING
TECH COMPANIES AND BEING AN
ENTREPRENEUR, TO DOING ADVOCACY
AND ULTIMATELY ENDING UP IN
PUBLIC SERVICE, BUT IT'S ALSO
BEEN A JOURNEY FOR MY FAMILY.
I THINK I'VE COME TO APPRECIATE,
AS I'VE GROWN UP, HOW MY PARENT
HAVE ALSO HAD TO SHIFT AND
EVOLVE AND CHANGE A LOT IN THEIR
OWN VIEWS, AND I THINK AS A
CHILD, I DIDN'T FULLY APPRECIATE
JUST HOW PROFOUND THE CHANGES
THAT THEY WERE NAVIGATING AND
THE DELTA BETWEEN WHERE THEY
STARTED THEIR LIVES, MY DAD IN
PARTICULAR IN A SMALL FARMING
VILLAGE IN INDIA WHERE HE HAD,
YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY LITTLE
RESOURCES, BARELY ENOUGH FOOD TO
EAT EACH DAY TO ACTUALLY HAVING
A HOME AND BEING ABLE TO RAISE A
FAMILY IN THE UNITED STATES.
THAT IS SUCH A MASSIVE DELTA
THAT I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO
ACLEAVE IN MY
ACHIEVE IN MY LIFE BECAUSE I WAS
PRIVILEGED TO START AT A
DIFFERENT PLACE, BUT I'M
GRATEFUL TO HAVE THIS CHANCE TO
SERVE.
USUALLY SOMETHING HAPPENS AT
LEAST ONCE A DAY IN THIS ROLE
WHERE I THINK, GOSH, I'M SO
FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO
BE ABLE TO SERVE AND I HOPE I DO
IT JUSTICE BY MAKING A
CONTRIBUTION TO PEOPLE'S LIVES.
BUT I'M ALSO REMINDED THAT FOR
ALL OF US WHO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE
OF BEING ABLE TO SERVE, THAT WE
HAVE TO OPEN DOORS FOR OTHERS IN
THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE
ULTIMATELY THE COMMUNITY WE ARE
PART OF REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE
THAT IT'S SEEKING TO SERVE AND
LOOKS LIKE THE PEOPLE IT'S
SEEKING TO SERVE.
>> THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, YOU BOTH HAVE JUST
AMAZING CAREERS THAT HAVE REALLY
MADE HISTORY, AND IN LISTENING
TO YOU TALK, I DO HEAR THE
COMMONALITY IN THE STORIES THAT
YOU SHARED, AND DR. MURTHY, ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID THAT
STANDS OUT WITH ME WAS SORT OF
THIS QUEST TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU
BELONG, AND I HEARD MANY
REFLECTIONS THAT MAYOR WU SHARED
WITH US THAT ARE ALONG THAT SAME
LINE, AND HOW YOU BOTH REALLY
EVOLVED, AND I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO THINK
ABOUT HOW THEY CAN INTEGRATE
THEIR IDENTITIES AND BRING THEIR
AUTHENTIC SELVES TO THEIR JOB,
THEIR CAREER, AND I IMAGINE THAT
IN BOTH OF YOUR BUILDING OF SUCH
ESTEEMED CAREERS AS PUBLIC
HEALTH LEADERS AND PUBLIC
SERVANT THE, SERS,
THAT YOU HAD MANY CHALLENGES
ALONG THE WAY TO BUILDING YOUR
CAREERS SPECIFICALLY.
MAYOR WU, WOULD YOU SHARE A FEW
KEY REFLECTIONS ON YOUR CAREER
PATH AND HOW YOU NAVIGATED TO
THE CURRENT POINT IN YOUR
JOURNEY AND WITH THAT, SOME OF
THE CAREER CHALLENGES THAT YOU
HAD TO OVERCOME ALONG THE WAY?
>> IN SOME WAYS, IT IS
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL AND
AFFIRMING THAT EVERY ELECTION
CYCLE AND EVERY YEAR HERE IN
MASSACHUSETTS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO CELEBRATE SOME MAJOR BARRIER
COMING DOWN.
WHETHER IT IS IN A MUNICIPAL
ELECTION OR IN DISTRICT
ATTORNEYS RACE OR CONGRESSIONAL
RACE.
AT THE SAME TIME, A REMINDER OF
HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN, HOW MANY
YEARS BEFORE THAT THESE BARRIERS
AND MILESTONES HAD STILL EXISTED
AND HAD NOT BEEN REACHED.
WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR CITY
COUNCIL IN 2013, THAT ELECTION
YEAR, WE DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF
WOMEN SERVING ON THE BOSTON CITY
COUNCIL, A 13-MEMBER BODY, AND
THAT YEAR WHEN I JOINED, WE WENT
FROM ONE TO TWO WOMEN WHEN I
JOINED, THEN COUNCILLOR IANA
PRESLEY.
WHEN I SET OUT TO RUN, I TRIED
TO MEET WITH MANY OF THE WISE
POLITICAL HEADS OF MASSACHUSETTS
AND BOSTON AS POSSIBLE.
I DID NOT COME FROM A BACKGROUND
WITH ANY POLITICAL CONNECTIONS
OR KNOWLEDGE OR NETWORKS, AND
ALMOST UNIVERSALLY, THE ADVICE
WAS, THIS WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE.
AND IT WAS ALL FOR REASONS GIVEN
THAT WERE OUTSIDE MY CONTROL.
IT WAS BOSTON DOESN'T ELECT SOME
FACET OF MY IDENTITY THAT I WAS
JUST BORN WITH.
WOMEN OR ASIAN AMERICANS OR
YOUNG PEOPLE OR FOLKS WHO WERE
NOT BORN IN THE CITY AND COULD
TRACE THEIR FAMILY ROOTS
GENERATIONS BACK.
AND AT A CERTAIN LEVEL, IT WAS
QUITE DEMORALIZING TO HEAR THAT
ACROSS THE BOARD EVERYONE WHO
KNEW SO MUCH ABOUT POLITICS
INVOLVED HERE THOUGHT THIS WOULD
BE IMPOSSIBLE, AND IT IS ALSO
AFTER I PROCESSED IT, IT BECAME
QUITE LIBERATING BECAUSE THERE
WAS NOTHING I COULD DO TO CHANGE
ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
IT'S NOT AS IF I WOULD WORK
HARDER OR LONGER AND SO I RAN TO
GIVE VOICE TO THE CHALLENGES
THAT MY FAMILY HAD EXPERIENCED,
THE ROLE THAT I HAD TAKEN ON AS
A LEGAL GUARDIAN WHEN MY MOM WAS
FIRST DIAGNOSED WITH LATE ONSET
SCHIZOPHRENIA AND THEN
REDIAGNOSED WITH SEVERE
DEPRESSION, PSYCHOSIS, THE
SYMPTOMS WERE THE SAME, THAT SHE
BECAME FOR A WHILE VERY UNABLE
TO TAKE CARE OF MY YOUNGER
SISTERS OR HERSELF, AND THROUGH
THAT PROCESS, NAVIGATING A
COMPLEX SCHOOL BUREAUCRACY
THROUGH THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR
THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM OR OPENING
A SMALL BUSINESS, THAT IS WHAT
DROVE ME FORWARD AND IT
SOMETIMES FELT LIKE WHAT I WAS
OFFERING AS A CHOICE IN CITY
COUNCIL OR CITY COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, WHAT'S SO DIFFERENT
FROM WHAT HAD COME BEFORE THAT I
HAD THE FREEDOM TO BRING A
DIFFERENT KIND OF LEADERSHIP
BECAUSE EVERY OTHER WAY, THERE
WAS NO WAY THAT I MATCHED WHAT
HAD COME BEFORE.
AND I HOPE THAT THE PROGRESS
THAT WE'VE SEEN REALLY BUILDS ON
THAT SENSE, THAT RECOGNITION OF
WHEN WE EXPAND THE DEFINITION OF
WHAT LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE, YOU
DON'T HAVE TO BE BORN INTO A
POLITICAL FAMILY OR ONE THAT WAS
BORN IN THIS COUNTRY OR CITY OR
SPOKE ENGLISH FLUENTLY, AS LONG
AS YOU BRING A DRIVE TO DO RIGHT
BY YOUR COMMUNITY AND TO BUILD A
FUTURE THAT IS STRONGER AND MORE
INCLUSIVE.
IN SOME WAYS THOSE BARRIERS ARE
THERE FOR THE TAKING, FOR THE
TAKING DOWN.
IN MY CAREER, IN MY ROLE NOW AS
MAYOR, IT STRIKING EVERY DAY
JUST HOW ENGRAINED SOME OF THE
CULTURAL OR POLITICAL BARRIERS
ARE.
THAT, IN FACT, IN A CITY WITH A
MECCA OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND
HEALTHCARE AND RESOURCES, WE
OFTEN SAY WE CAN'T, BUT THEN
WHEN YOU PUSH AND POKE AT IT,
IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE AFRAID TO OR
WE HAVEN'T DONE IT BEFORE OR WE
DON'T THINK IT'S POSSIBLE, AND
SO THAT BARRIER OF BELIEVING
THAT IT'S POSSIBLE, I THINK IS
IN SOME WAYS OUR MOST LIMITING
FACTOR, AND IT'S BEEN QUITE
EXCITING TO SEE OUR RESIDENTS
START TO BELIEVE THAT CITY
GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT IN
GENERAL CAN BE A FORCE FOR GOOD,
A PLATFORM FOR PARTNERSHIP, AND
ACTIVISM, AND THAT HAS UNLOCKED
WORLDS IN BOSTON OF WHAT WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
>> WOW, THAT IS FASCINATING.
AND I THINK ABOUT MY OWN
CHILDREN, WHENEVER THEY SAY THE
WORDS "WE CAN'T," WE CORRECTLY
CORRECT THAT AND SAY NO, WE'RE
GOING TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD.
SO I CAN APPRECIATE THAT.
DR. MURTHY, CAN YOU ALSO TALK
WITH US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH
TO THIS POINT, AND WHEN YOU
THINK OF CHALLENGES, THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCES THAT
COME TO MIND?
>> IT'S INTERESTING, MONICA, I
THINK SOMETIMES THE CHALLENGES
THAT ARE TOUGHEST FOR US MAY NOT
SEEM SO TOUGH ON THE OUTSIDE, OR
IT'S DIFFERENT SOMETIMES ON THE
INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE.
ONE OF THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGES I
FACED IN MY LIFE, IT'S GOING TO
ALMOST MAKE YOU LAUGH BECAUSE IT
WASN'T REALLY A CHALLENGE, BUT
AT THE TIME IT WAS CRUSHING TO
ME, WAS I DIDN'T GET INTO MY TOP
CHOICE OF MEDICAL SCHOOL, I
REMEMBER WHEN I ENDED UP
GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE, AND I
ENDED UP GETTING TO MY SECOND
CHOICE MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND YOU
KNOW, THINGS TURNED OUT OKAY.
I WAS LIKE -- IT WASN'T LIKE --
BUT I REMEMBER, I WAS DOING
RESEARCH AT HARVARD MEDICAL
SCHOOL, LIKE MICHELLE, I WAS AN
UNDERGRAD THERE DOING RESEARCH
AT THE MEDICAL SCHOOL AND I
REALLY, REALLY WANTED TO GO TO
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL, I
THOUGHT IT WAS A PERFECT PLACE
FOR ME, ET CETERA, BUT I GOT
REJECTED.
I REMEMBER CALLING MY FATHER AT
THE TIME, I WAS REALLY
DISTRAUGHT.
YOUR WORLD GETS SO WARPED INTO
WHAT YOU THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE
TO BE SUCCESSFUL THAT AT THAT
TIME, I WAS 19 YEARS OLD, I WAS
LIKE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANT
TO DO AND MY DREAM HAD JUST BEEN
FLUSHED DOWN THE TOILET, I FELT,
AND SO MY FATHER, I REMEMBER HE
LISTENED TO ME AND HE SAID, HE
SAID, VIVEK, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD
FOR YOU TO HAVE A CHANGE OF
INSTITUTION.
YOU MAY LEARN SOMETHING
DIFFERENT IF YOU GO TO SOMEPLACE
DIFFERENT.
AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHY THIS
HAPPENED.
YOU THERE MIGHT BE A REASON THAT
YOU'RE BEING TAKEN DOWN THIS
PATH, MAYBE IT'S THE RIGHT PATH
AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN IF
YOU HADN'T BEEN FORCED SO JUST
APPROACH IT WITH AN OPEN MIND.
HE WAS RIGHT.
I ENDED UP GOING TO YALE FOR
MEDICAL SCOO. I HAD AN AMAZING
EXPERIENCE, I MET INCREDIBLE
PEOPLE.
IT WAS A VERY, VERY DIFFERENT
EXPERIENCE THAN HARVARD, IN WAYS
THAT SUITED ME QUITE WELL.
BUT I NEVER WOULD HAVE HAD THAT
EXPERIENCE, HAD THAT DOOR NOT
BEEN CLOSED, YOU KNOW,
INITIALLY, SO THAT WAS ONE OF MY
FIRST SORT OF EXPERIENCES.
EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY
SMALL THING FROM THE OUTSIDE,
INTERNALLY, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ONE
OF THOSE MOMENTS, I WAS LIKE, I
HAD HYPED UP MY EXPECTATIONS OF
WHAT I THOUGHT I SHOULD BE, AND
WHEN I COULDN'T MEET THOSE
EXPECTATIONS, I WAS CRUSHED AND
I DIDN'T SORT OF TAKE TIME TO
STEP BACK AND SAY HOLD ON, THERE
MAY BE A BROADER, A DEEPER
MESSAGE HERE OR ANOTHER PATH
THAT I'M MEANT TO FOLLOW, LET ME
EMBRACE THAT, LET ME GO WITH
OPENNESS.
THE OTHER THING I'LL MENTIONED
THAT WAS AN INFLECTION POINT OF
ME BUT A POINT OF CHALLENGE IS
WHEN I WAS BEING CONSIDERED FOR
THE POSITION OF SURGEON GENERAL
THE FIRST TIME IN THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION, AND FOR ALL THE
WORLD, I WAS LIKE NOT THE
EXPECTED CANDIDATE, RIGHT?
I WAS BY 2 1/2 DECADES YOUNGER
THAN THE AVERAGE SURGEON
GENERAL, I DIDN'T HAVE THIS
TRADITIONAL SORT OF SPEND YEARS
IN ACADEMIC RESEARCH PEDIGREE OR
YEARS IN A SPECIFIC JOB.
I FINISHED MY RESIDENCY
TRAINING, I WAS PRACTICING, I
WAS TEACHING BUT ALSO SPENDING
HALF MY TIME BUILDING A TECH
COMPANY, I WAS DOING SOME
ADVOCACY WORK, COMMUNITY
ORGANIZING WORK RELATED TO
HEALTHCARE.
THIS IS LIKE NON-THE TRADITIONAL
SORT OF BACKGROUND OF A SURGEON
GENERAL.
AND FOR MANY REASONS, I WAS TOLD
THIS IS LIKE AN END OF CAREER
JOB, IT'S NOT A WHERE YOU ARE
JOB, AND SO YOU'RE JUST NOT THE
RIGHT FIT.
BUT I WAS ACTUALLY REALLY
FORTUNATE THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA
AT THAT TIME AND HIS TEAM WANTED
TO ACTUALLY MODERNIZE THE OFFICE
OF THE SURGEON GENERAL, THEY
WANTED TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE USE
TECHNOLOGY TO RECONNECT MORE
DEEPLY WITH THE PUBLIC, HOW WE
THINK ABOUT THE CHANGING AND
SHIFTING INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT
TO MANAGE HOW WE GET SCIENTIFIC
INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE WHO
MAY NOT WILL ALWAYS WANT TO HEAR
IT OR MAY NOT ENCOUNTER IT AS
EASILY.
SO I ENDED UP HAVING THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
BUT I WAS ALSO -- THAT
EXPERIENCE MADE ME AWARE THAT IN
LIFE, THERE'S WHAT YOU DO BUT
THERE'S ALSO LUCK.
AND AS MUCH AS I THINK I MAY
PINPOINT THE MOMENTS WHERE, YES,
I WORK REALLY HARD FOR
SOMETHING, I ALSO KNOW THAT
WITHOUT LUCK AND SORT OF THE
STATE OF THE UNIVERSE, ALL THESE
OPPORTUNITIES WOULD NOT HAVE
CREPT UP.
THERE'S A THIRD I WOULD SHARE
WITH YOU THAT HIGHLIGHTS ONE
OTHER THING BESIDES HARD WORK
AND LUCK AND THAT WAS PEOPLE,
SPECIFICALLY THE PEOPLE YOU
LOVE.
THIS EXPERIENCE WAS SHORTLY
AFTER THAT, ABOUT A YEAR
AFTER -- A FEW MONTHS ACTUALLY
AFTER I WAS CONSIDERED FOR THE
POSITION OF SURGEON GENERAL
ULTIMATELY THE PRESIDENT
NOMINATED ME, AND WHAT EVERYONE
THOUGHT WOULD BE FAIRLY SIMPLE
CONFIRMATION PROCESS TURNED INTO
A 13-MONTH MISADVENTURE, IF YOU
WILL, AND IT WAS A CHALLENGING
TIME BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THOSE
MOMENTS WHERE LIKE WHEN YOU GO
TO CONFIRMATION YOU CAN'T REALLY
SAY A WHOLE LOT PUBLICLY YET
YOU'RE BEING TALKED ABOUT A LOT
PUBLICLY AND OFTEN NOT IN THE
MOST POSITIVE WAYS, AND I REALLY
FELT THIS SENSE OF SHAME, LIKE I
HAD LET DOWN MY FAMILY AND MY
FRIENDS AND MY MENTORS BY NOT
BEING ABLE TO SORT OF GET
THROUGH THIS PROCESS, YOU KNOW,
EASILY AND SUCCESSFULLY.
AND IT WAS BECOMING A CHALLENGE
AND VERY FEW PEOPLE THOUGHT I
WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE IT THROUGH
CONFIRMATION, THEY GAVE IT A 1%
CHANCE OF WORKING OUT.
THANKFULLY THE PRESIDENT NEVER
SORT OF GAVE UP AND WANTED TO
KEEP PRESSING AND ULTIMATELY,
YOU KNOW, THROUGH GOD'S GRACE, I
WAS ABLE TO BE CONFIRMED, BUT IT
WAS ONE OF THOSE VERY DARK
PERIODS IN MY LIFE WHERE I FELT
VERY ALONE AND VERY ISOLATED.
AND I ACTUALLY DID WHAT YOU'RE
NOT SUPPOSED TO DO DURING THOSE
MOMENTS, WHICH IS INSTEAD OF
REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE THAT I
REALLY CARED ABOUT AND WHO I
KNEW CARED ABOUT ME, I WITHDREW
MORE AND MORE AND MORE, AND THAT
JUST DEEPENED THAT SENSE OF
LONELINESS AND ISOLATION, AND IT
WAS ONLY REALLY TOWARD THE END
THAT I REALIZED THAT I NEEDED
PEOPLE, LIKE MORE THAN EVER,
LIKE IN MY LIFE, AND I SORT
OF -- AND I REALIZED A LESSON A
FRIEND TAUGHT ME YEARS LATER
WHICH IS THAT SO OFTEN IN LIFE,
IT'S NOT THAT WE ARE LACKING IN
FRIENDSHIPS, IT'S THAT WE'RE NOT
EXPERIENCING FRIENDSHIPS.
LIKE MANY OF US HAVE PEOPLE WHO
CARE ABOUT US AND LOVE US, BUT
WE MAY NOT REACH OUT TO THEM, WE
MAY THINK THAT IT'S BEEN TOO
LONG, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO CATCH
UP WITH THEM, MAYBE THEY DON'T
WANT TO HEAR FROM ME.
SO OFTEN WHEN WE REACH OUT, WE
FIND THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY THERE
WHO WANTS TO HEAR FROM US AND
WHO'S WILLING TO SUPPORT US.
AND I WAS BLESSED TO FIND SOME
OF THOSE PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY.
BUT ALL OF THOSE EXPERIENCES
SORT OF CAME TO TEACH ME THAT
YES, HARD WORK IS IMPORTANT,
YES, HAVING AMBITION IS
IMPORTANT, BUT HAVING A HEALTHY
RESPECT FOR THE ROLE OF LIKE
LUCK IN THE UNIVERSE IN THESE
PROCESSES AND ALSO JUST KNOWING
HOW MUCH WE ALL NEED PEOPLE, THE
PEOPLE WE LOVE AT VARIOUS STAGES
OF OUR JOURNEY, THAT THAT HAS
REMAINED WITH ME CERTAINLY
DURING THIS SECOND TERM.
>> THANK YOU.
REALLY GREAT DISCUSSION OF
CHALLENGES AND HOW YOU MANAGE
THEM.
I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A
DIFFERENT SUBJECT, ONE YOU'VE
BOTH TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR
COMMENTS SO FAR.
I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE
AUDIENCE TO USE THE SEND LIVE
FEEDBACK BUTTON THAT'S BELOW THE
SCREEN IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS,
AND WHEN WE APPROACH THE END OF
THE CONVERSATION, WE'LL DO
QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL
HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
AND THERE WAS A 2019 SURVEY ON
DRUG USE AND HEALTH AND IT FOUND
THAT ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC
ISLANDER INDIVIDUALS WERE LESS
LIKELY TO SEEK MENTAL HEALTHCARE
COMPARED TO OTHER RACIAL AND
ETHNIC GROUPS.
AND IN ADDITION TO STRUCTURAL
BARRIERS, SURVEY RESPONDENTS
ALSO REPORTED STIGMA AS A
NOTABLE CONCERN.
AND WHEN WE CONSIDER THAT OVER
THE PAST TWO-PLUS YEARS WITH THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THIS ELEVATED
INCIDENCE AND PREVALENCE OF
MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT HAS
BEEN NOTED WIDELY, MAYOR WU,
PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH IS AMONG
THE PRIORITIES OF YOUR OFFICE.
WOULD YOU SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
ABOUT COPING WITH MENTAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES IN GENERAL BUT ALSO
AMONG ASIAN AMERICAN NATIVE
HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER
INDIVIDUALS WHO REPORTED
ELEVATED SENSE OF STIGMA, AND
ANY SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS FOR
OVERCOMING THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED
WITH SEEKING HELP?
>> I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I AM
TODAY WITHOUT THE HEALTHCARE
THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCESS IN
BOSTON FOR MY MOM.
PARTICULARLY THE MOMENT WHEN I
WAS IN LAW SCHOOL WHERE IT
REALLY FELT LIKE WE HAD ALL HIT
ROCK BOTTOM AND I REMEMBER MY
MOM WAS IN THE MIDST OF A PRETTY
INTENSE DELUSION.
SHE HAD LEFT -- WAS EXPERIENCING
AUDITORY HALLUCINATIONS AND IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WAS OUT
OF HER HOME SORT OF KNOCKING ON
NEIGHBORS' DOORS AND TRYING TO
HELP, BUT NO ONE ELSE WAS
HEARING THE THINGS THAT SHE WAS
HEARING.
THE POLICE WERE CALLED, WE WERE
GIVEN THE CHOICE, IS SHE GOING
TO THE POLICE STATION OR TO THE
HOSPITAL, OF COURSE I BEGGED
THEM TO TAKE HER TO THE
HOSPITAL, AND SHE ENDED UP
STAYING INPATIENT AT MASS
GENERAL FOR OVER A WEEK IN THE
PSYCHIATRIC WARD.
AND THAT REALLY SAVED HER LIFE.
BUT TO GET TO THAT POINT AND THE
TREMENDOUS UPS AND DOWNS, IT HAD
TAKEN YEARS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS
THE ACTUAL TREATMENT AND
SERVICES AND HEALTHCARE THAT WAS
A DIRECT RESPONSE TO WHAT SHE
NEEDED.
AND PART OF THAT WAS INSURANCE
SYSTEMS AND TRYING TO FIND
COVERAGE THAT WOULD CONNECT WITH
A PROVIDER WHO SPOKE HER
LANGUAGE AND UNDERSTAND THE
CULTURAL CONTEXT.
A LARGE PART OF THAT WAS SHAME
AND STIGMA, WHERE FOR THE FIRST
YEAR OF WHAT WE WERE
EXPERIENCING AS A FAMILY, I
BARELY TOLD ANYONE.
AND IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO
EVEN TELL MY CLOSEST FRIENDS TO
EVEN TO REACH OUT, AS DR. MURTHY
WAS SAYING, BECAUSE IT JUST FELT
LIKE WE HAD DONE SOMETHING
WRONG.
AND MY MOM REFUSED, TO THIS DAY
STILL HAS A HARD TIME TALKING
ABOUT THIS AS A MENTAL HEALTH
CHALLENGE.
I THINK AS A SOCIETY, WE'RE
TRAINED SO MUCH TO SPEAK OPENLY
ABOUT PHYSICAL AILMENTS, BUT
THEN IF SOMETHING IS SORT OF
ABOVE THE NECK, IT THEN
CONNECTED TO YOUR CHARACTER OR
YOUR STRENGTH OR YOUR WILL OR
YOUR BEING.
AND WE'VE SEEN THIS DOCUMENTED
IN DATA TOO.
THERE ARE RESEARCHERS IN BOSTON
WHO DO WORK SPECIFICALLY ON
STIGMA WHO HAVE SHARED WITH ME
THAT IN FACT THE RESEARCH SHOWS
THAT DISPARITIES IN TERMS OF
LIFE EXPECTANCY HAVE NARROWED
ACROSS ALMOST ANY WAY YOU COULD
COUNT THEM OVER THE LAST 20
YEARS.
THERE'S STILL TREMENDOUS
DISPARITIES THAT WE NEED TO
ADDRESS BUT THEY HAVE NARROWED
IN MANY WAYS.
BUT ONE WAY IN WHICH THEY
HAVEN'T NARROWED IS FOR
INDIVIDUALS LIVEING WITH
SCHIZOPHRENIA.
THAT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR 20
YEARS, EVEN AS MEDICAL TREATMENT
HAS IMPROVED, EVEN AS THE
LEARNINGS THAT OUR HEALTHCARE
COMMUNITY HAS DEVELOPED HAVE
DEEPENED, THAT, IN FACT, STIGMA
IS SO DEEPLY ROOTED IN
INDIVIDUALS' ABILITY AND
WILLINGNESS TO ACCESS CARE, AND
IN SOCIETY'S RESPONSE WHEN THEY
ARE IN THOSE MOMENTS THAT IT CAN
BE IN SOME WAYS QUITE
OFF-PUTTING WHEN YOU ACTUALLY DO
END UP IN THOSE SPACES WHERE
CARE IS ADMINISTERED.
BECAUSE YOU FEEL SO INVISIBLE
AND WE HAD HAD MANY EXPERIENCES
PRIOR TO BEING AT MASS GENERAL
WHERE, AS AN IMMIGRANT WHO
DIDN'T ALWAYS SPEAK ENGLISH
FLUENTLY AND CERTAINLY WITH AN
ACCENT, I SAW MY MOM DEHUMANIZED
IN MANY SPACES WHERE WE WERE
THERE SPECIFICALLY TO REACH OUT
AND GET HELP.
AND SO ACROSS THE CITY, WE KNOW
THAT THE NEED IS GROWING.
I HEAR FROM EVERY TOUCH POINT OF
CITY GOVERNMENT, WHETHER IT'S
CRISIS CALLS COMING IN THROUGH
911, THE FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY
OF MENTAL HEALTH BEING VERY MUCH
INTERTWINED WITH THOSE CALLS, OR
IF YOU ASK ANY SCHOOL NURSE IN
BOSTON AND BEYOND, I ASSUME, THE
WAIT LISTS FOR MENTAL HEALTHCARE
FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE
DEPTH OF NEED FROM STUDENTS WHO
HAVE EXPERIENCED SO MUCH IN
THEIR FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE
PANDEMIC, OUR SENIORS WHO HAVE
FACED GRIEF AND ISOLATION AND
ANXIETY, THIS IS REALLY GOING TO
BE THE EPIDEMIC AFTER THE
PANDEMIC, AND WE TRYING TO DO
OUR BEST IN BOSTON TO USE
FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WE HAVE,
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS, ARPA
FUNDS, TO CHANGE SYSTEMS AS
WELL.
SO WE'RE DEDICATING A CHUNK OF
OUR FEDERAL RECOVERY FUNDS TO
TRY TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE
IN THE WORKFORCE.
THERE ARE VACANCIES AND
SHORTAGES IN STAFFING ACROSS THE
BOARD IN ALMOST ANY INDUSTRY,
BUT PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES
TO MENTAL HEALTHCARE AND
HEALTHCARE, FOR PROVIDERS OF
COLOR, FOR MULTILINGUAL
PROVIDERS.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO HAVE
SERVICES AVAILABLE.
TO REALLY FEEL SEEN AND
CONNECTED AND ABLE TO ACCESS
THEM, OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE TO
SEE PROVIDERS WHO LOOK LIKE
THEM, WHO UNDERSTAND AND COME
FROM OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO LAUNCH
AN INITIATIVE THAT WOULD PARTNER
WITH LOCAL HEALTHCARE
INSTITUTIONS TO RECRUIT, TRAIN
AND THEN DIRECTLY CONNECT
PROVIDERS OF COLOR, CLINICIANS
WHO ARE MULTILINGUAL TO OUR
LOCAL HEALTHCARE CENTERS, OUR
HOSPITALS, COMMUNITY HEALTH
CENTERS AND HOPEFULLY THEN
CHANGE THE CAPACITY OF OUR
SYSTEMS TO BE RESPONSIVE.
>> I THINK THAT'S FANTASTIC THAT
YOU'RE WORKING ON THESE AREAS
AND CHANGING SYSTEMS OF CARE TO
ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT YOU'VE
TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF
ACCESSING CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE
CARE AND THE EXPERIENCE OF
DEHUMANIZATION IN SETTINGS WHEN
CARE IS SOUGHT, THE CHALLENGES
TO RECEIVING CARE, AND THEN OF
COURSE THE IMPORTANCE OF
DIVERSIFYING THE WORKFORCE.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I DO
WISH YOUR MOM ALL THE BEST.
BECAUSE I KNOW THE JOURNEY OF
DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES CAN BE LIFELONG,
DEPENDING ON WHAT THE CONDITION
IS.
BUT I DO WISH HER THE BEST.
DR. MURTHY, LET'S TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT AN AREA THAT WE KNOW
IS IMPORTANT TO YOU AND THAT
YOU'VE WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY
ABOUT, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS
A LITTLE EARLIER IN TERMS OF
YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE, BUT THE
CRISIS OF LONELINESS AND SOCIAL
ISOLATION, AND IN FACT AN
EXCELLENT BOOK THAT YOU AUTHORED
CALLED "TOGETHER, THE HEALING
POWER OF HUMAN CONNECTION IN A
SOMETIMES LONELY WORLD" FOCUSES
ON THIS VERY TOPIC.
WE KNOW SOCIAL ISOLATION OR
FEELINGS OF LONELINESS CAN PUT A
PERSON'S PHYSICAL AND MENTAL
HEALTH AT RISK.
SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY
CONSIDERATIONS THAT YOU WOULD
OFFER FOR ADDRESSING SOCIAL
ISOLATION FOR BOTH YOUTH AND
OLDER ADULTS, AND ARE THERE ANY
CULTURALLY SPECIFICALLY
CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE SHOULD
KNOW?
>> THANKS, MONICA.
LET ME JUST SAY ONE THING,
REFLECT ON MAYOR WU'S STORY
ABOUT -- HOW POWERFUL IT IS HOW
SHE SHARED SO OPENLY ABOUT HER
MOTHER'S STRUGGLES AND THE ROLE
SHE PLAYED IN ADDRESSING THOSE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS I
THINK ALLOWED THIS STIGMA AROUND
MENTAL HEALTH, ESPECIALLY IN
AAPI COMMUNITIES TO SORT OF
CONTINUE AND TO PERSIST IS THAT
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE
ACTUALLY SHARING STORIES SO IT
SEEMS LIKE THESE ARE ISOLATED
CHALLENGES, PEOPLE CONTINUE TO
GLANCE AT YOU LIKE SOMETHING MAY
BE WRONG WITH YOUR FAMILY.
THAT'S HOW I FELT WHEN I LOST AN
UNCLE TO SUICIDE WHEN I WAS IN
HIGH SCHOOL, THERE WAS A REAL
SHAME AND AWKWARDNESS AROUND
TELLING PEOPLE.
BUT WHEN PEOPLE STEP UP AND
SHARE THOSE STORIES, IT REALLY
PULLS BACK THE CURTAIN ON
SOMETHING THAT IS IMPACTING ALL
OF US IN SOME WAY AND ALL OF OUR
FAMILIES DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.
,
THESE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.
SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW
POWERFUL, WHAT MAYOR WU HAS DONE
IN SHARING HER FAMILY'S
EXPERIENCES.
I THINK THE ISSUE OF LONELINESS
AND SOCIAL CONNECTION IS TEEPLY
TIED DEEPLY
TIED TO MENTAL HEALTH.
WHAT THE MAYOR DESCRIBED, WHAT
SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE TELLING
US, BOSTON, ALL AROUND THE
COUNTRY, WHAT CLINICIANS AND
HOSPITALS ARE TELLING US, WHAT
PARENTS ARE TELLING US IS VERY
CONSISTENT, WHICH IS THAT THERE
IS A WORSENING MENTAL HEALTH
CRISIS.
WE HAD A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, JUST TO BE
100% CLEAR, DEPRESSION AND
ANXIETY.
SUICIDE WAS INCREASING IN THE
DECADE BEFORE, WE SAUDI PRETION
AND ANXIETY LEVELS RISE, WE SAW
LONELINESS LEVELS PARTICULARLY
AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE ARE REALLY AT
EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH LEVELS.
THERE ARE MORE ADULTS IN OUR
COUNTRY WHO STRUGGLE WITH
LONELINESS THAN HAVE DIABETES,
YET THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH
ATTENTION AND FOCUS WE PUT ON
ONE VERSUS THE OTHER.
WE NEEDLESS HOW TO REALLY BUILD SOCIAL
CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE MENTAL
HEALTH CRISIS, I THINK THERE ARE
AT LEAST THREE BIG FACTORS THAT
ARE HAPPENING.
ONE IS THAT WE HAVE A SERIES OF
CRISES THAT PEOPLE ARE FACING,
WHICH I THINK ARE DIMINISHING
THEIR HOPE FOR THE PRESENT AND
THE FUTURE BUT ALSO CAUSING THEM
TO EXPERIENCE LOSS.
THE PANDEMIC IS ONE OF THOSE.
HOW MANY OF US LOST PEOPLE THAT
WE LOVE DURING THIS PANDEMIC?
NEARLY 1 MILLION AMERICANS.
BUT IT WASN'T EVEN JUST THE LOSS
OF LIVES.
IT WAS THE LOSS OF JOBS FOR MANY
PEOPLE, THE LOSS OF EDUCATION
FOR MANY KIDS, THE LOSS OF
TEUPTS
OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE FAMILY AND
FRIENDS DURING THE LAST TWO
YEARS.
SO YOU PUT THOSE CRISES TOGETHER
WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, RACISM AND
OTHER CHALLENGES THAT PEOPLE ARE
FACING IN, FOR MANY YOUNG PEOPLE
THAT I TALK TO ACROSS THE
COUNTRY WHEN WE DO ROUNDTABLES,
THEY ASK THE QUESTION, IS THE
FUTURE REALLY BRIGHTER THAN THE
PAST?
BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT THESE
CHALLENGES AND WONDERING.
THE SECOND FACTOR ACTUALLY IS WE
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT A SOCIAL
CONNECTION, WE KNOW FOR DECADES,
BACK OVER AT HARVARD AND OTHERS,
THAT THERE HAS BEEN A DECLINE
OVER THE LAST FIVE, SIX DECADES
IN PEOPLE'S PARTICIPATION IN
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY,
SOCIAL CAPITAL, AND THAT'S
MANIFESTING IN PHYSICAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH CONSEQUENCES.
YOU ADD ALL OF THIS ON TOP OF
TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS, IT'S VERY
HELPFUL TO SOME PEOPLE BUT THEN
ALSO ADVERSELY IMPACT PEOPLE'S
SOCIAL CONNECTION, RELATIONSHIPS
IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.
YOU HAVE A PERFECT STORM FOR AT
LEAST SOME FACTORS THAT ARE
DRIVING, BROADER CHALLENGES THAT
WE'RE SEEING WITH MENTAL HEALTH.
BUT IF WE REALLY WANT TO ADDRESS
OUR MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND
MORE BROADLY IF WE WANT TO THINK
ABOUT HOW TO IMPACT HOW PEOPLE
PERFORM IN THE WORKPLACE, HOW
OUR KIDS COULD IN SCHOOL, HOW
NEIGHBORHOODS FUNCTION, WE DO
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO
REBUILD SOCIAL CONNECTION AND
COMMUNITY.
THIS SOMETHING ISN'T WE TALK
ABOUT VERY OFTEN, BECAUSE TO SAY
THAT YOU'RE LONELY IS LIKE
SAYING THAT YOU'RE NOT LIKABLE
TO MANY PEOPLE.
TO SAYING THAT YOU'RE SOMEHOW
NOT LOVEABLE.
EVEN WORSE.
AND YOU KNOW, I SAY THIS AS
SOMEBODY WHO STRUGGLED WITH
LONELINESS FOR YEARS, ESPECIALLY
AS A CHILD.
I NEVER TOLD MY PARENTS, EVEN
THOUGH I KNEW THEY LOVED ME
UNCONDITIONALLY, EVEN THOUGH I
KNEW THEY WOULDN'T JUDGE ME, BUT
I JUST FELT THIS PROFOUND SHAME
AT SAYING THAT I WAS LIKE REALLY
LONELY IN SCHOOL, IT'S BECAUSE I
WAS REALLY SHY AND HAD A HARD
TIME MAKING FRIENDS EVEN THOUGH
I REALLY WANTED TO HANG OUT WITH
OTHER KIDS.
I DIDN'T REALIZE AT THE TIME I
WASN'T THE ONLY ONE.
YEARS LATER, I TALK TO CLASS
MITES, THEY'RE LIKE, OH, I FELT
THAT WAY TOO, I WAS LIKE, GOD, I
NEVER KNEW THAT WE WERE ALL
STRUGGLING WITH THIS.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE
STRUGGLING WITH THIS IN
ISOLATION.
I THINK NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE TO
TALK ABOUT AND HELP PEOPLE
REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT
EVIDENCE YOU'RE BROKEN.
LONELINESS IS A SIGNAL LIKE
HUNGER OR THIRST, IT TELLS US
WE'RE LACKING SOMETHING WE NEED
FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL, THAT IS OUR
HUMAN CONNECTIONS.
NO MORE REASON TO FEEL ASHAMED
IF YOU'RE LONELY THAN IN YOU'RE
HUNDRED GREESM
HUNGRY.
HOW DO WE STRENGTHEN AND BUILD
CONNECTION IN OUR LIVES?
PART OF IT IS A CULTURAL
CHALLENGE.
MUCH OF MODERN SOCIETY IS A
WORK-CENTERED SOCIETY.
WHEN I FIRNED I FINISHED MY TRAINING AT
BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
BACK IN THE DAY, IF I SAID I'M
GOING TO LEAVE AND GO TO A SMALL
TOWN IN AMERICA WHERE I DON'T
KNOW ANYBODY AND NO COULD CONNECTIONS
BUT THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE ME THE
CLAIRE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
MEDICINE, IMAGINE THAT, STRAIGHT
OUT OF TRAINING, CHAIR OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE, PEOPLE
WOULD THINK WOW, HE REALLY MUST
TAKE HIS CAREER SERIOUSLY, GOOD
FOR HIM.
IF I SAID I'M MOVING TO A SMALL
TOWN IN AMERICA, MY FAMILY IS
THERE, MY FRIENDS ARE THERE, I
ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A JOB, I'M
GOING TO MOVE THERE BECAUSE OF
MY FAMILY, I KNOW WHAT THE
WHISPERS WOULD HAVE BEEN.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE HE WAS
REALLY AMBITIOUS, HE HAD SUCH
HIGH PROSPECTS, I GUESS HE JUST
LOST HIS AMBITION, WHO KNOWS
WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF SOCIETY
THAT IS VERY MUCH CENTERED
AROUND WORK.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH WORK.
WORK GIVES US PURPOSE.
ALLOWS US TO CONTRIBUTE TO
SOCIETY, ALLOWS US TO EARN A
LIVING WAGE HOPEFULLY THAT CAN
SUPPORT OUR FAMILY AND OUR
FRIENDS.
BUT IN LIFE, WE HAVE TO
PRIORITIZE, RIGHT?
I HAD TO REALIZE THE HARD WAY
THAT EVEN THOUGH I'VE ALWAYS
PRIORITIZED PEOPLE IN MY LIFE,
THE REALITY IS THAT I WAS
PUTTING WORK AHEAD OF PEOPLE
MUCH OF MY LIFE.
AND I CAME TO SEE THAT VERY
CLEARLY DURING THE PANDEMIC.
SO I THINK THE CULTURAL
CHALLENGE WE HAVE IS, HOW DO WE
REBUILD A PEOPLE-CENTERED
SOCIETY, A RELATIONSHIP-CENTERED
SOCIETY WHERE WORKPLACES
ACTUALLY CREATE THE KIND OF
FLEXIBILITY FOR WORKERS SO THEY
CAN ACTUALLY BE THERE FOR THEIR
FAMILIES DURING TIMES OF NEED
BECAUSE OUR RELATIONSHIPS REALLY
DO MATTER, WHERE SCHOOLS GIVE
YOUNG PEOPLE TOOLS FOR BUILDING
HEALTHY RELATION SHIMS FROM AN
EARLY AGE AND SEE THAT JUST AS
IMPORTANT AS THE SKILLS WE GIVE
THEM IN READING AND WRITING
BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO HELP
THEM BUILD RELATIONSHIPS THAT
WILL SUSTAIN THEM IN THE LONG
TERM.
AS A GOVERNMENT, HOW DO WE ALSO
INVEST HERE, NOT JUST IN THE
RESEARCH THAT WE NEED TO DEVELOP
BETTER AND BETTER WAYS TO
STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO
IN IDENTIFYING THIS AS A
PRIORITY IN BRINGING
STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER TO DEVELOP
A NATIONAL REGIONAL LOCAL
STRATEGY FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO
STRENGTHEN CONNECTION IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ARE ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW
WORKING WITH THE U.S. CONFERENCE
OF MAYORS AND OTHER ELECTED
LEADERS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO
THINK ABOUT HOW TO BUILD AN
AGENDA AROUND CONNECTION AND
COMMUNITY AS WE COME TO THIS
PANDEMIC, REALIZING IT'S GOT TO
BE PART OF WHAT WE DO TO HELP
LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC AND
STRENGTHEN OURSELVES, NOT JUST
FOR THE NEXT PANDEMIC, FOR OTHER
CHALLENGES THAT MAY COME OUR
WAY.
THIS ISSUE IS ONE THAT'S VENEER
AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
VERY
NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, AN
EFFORT TO REBUILD THE FOUNDATION
OF OUR COUNTRY.
IF THAT FOUNDATION IS STRONG, WE
HAVE HEALTHY SCHOOLS, WE HAVE
WORKPLACES WHERE PEOPLE ARE MORE
PRODUCTIVE AND CREATIVE, WE HAVE
PEOPLE WHO ARE HEALTHIER AND
PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY, AND WE
HAVE COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE MORE
TIGHTLY CONNECTED TO ONE
ANOTHER, WE CAME TOGETHER AT THE
BEGINNING OF THIS PANDEMIC BUT
THEN WE SPLINTERED, RIGHT, IN
MANY WAYS AS A COUNTRY AS THE
PANDEMIC PERSISTED, AND IF YOU
LOOK AT THE COUNTRIES THAT DID
REALLY WELL AROUND THE WORLD, IT
WASN'T THE COUNTRIES THAT HAD
THE MOST MONEY, IT'S ACTUALLY
THE COUNTRIES THAT HAD THE MOST
TRUST BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS, THE
MOST CONNECTION BETWEEN
INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR
GOVERNMENT.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO
REBUILD.
IT'S REALLY CRITICAL FOR THE
FUNCTIONING OF SOCIETY AND IT'S
WHY WE'RE LAUNCHING IN THE NEAR
FUTURE A BROADER INITIATIVE
AROUND CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY
FOR THE COUNTRY.
>> CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY.
I LOVE IT.
YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO ASK JUST
ONE MORE QUESTION THAT I'M GOING
TO DIRECT AT MAYOR WU AND THEN
I'D LIKE TO TURN OVER -- WE HAVE
A VERY ACTIVE AUDIENCE WHO IS
SENDING IN LOTS OF COMMENTS AND
QUESTIONS AND I'D LIKE TO TRY TO
GET TO AS MANY OF THEM AS WE
CAN.
BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU, MAYOR
WU, ABOUT A TOPIC THAT IS NEAR
AND DEAR TO WHAT WE ARE FOCUSED
ON AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON
MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH
DISPARITIES, AND THAT'S
ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES
AND ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY.
I'VE BEEN DELIGHTED TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT YOUR OFFICE AND
YOU'VE EXPRESSED YOUR COMMITMENT
TO ENDING DISPARITIES,
HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND OUTCOMES
AND YOUR OFFICE IS FOCUSED ON
LONG-STANDING HEALTH DISPARITIES
WE KNOW ARE CAUSED BY MULTIPLE
FACTORS.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
STRATEGIES YOUR OFFICE HAS TAKEN
OR IS PLANNING TO TAKE AND WHAT
ONE CAN DO TO ADDRESS
DISCRIMINATION AND REDUCE HEALTH
DISPARITIES?
>> SO OUR STARTING POINT IS A
HEALTH IN ALL APPROACH.
I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT THE PERSON
LEADING THE CHARGE FOR THE CITY
WHO I JUST FOLLOW HER LEAD IS
DR. OJUKUTO, DIRECTOR OF THE
BOSTON HEALTH COMMISSION.
PREVIOUSLY THIS HAD BEEN A ROLE
THAT WAS IN SOME WAYS INSULATED
FROM THE CITY AND LAYERED WITH
DIFFERENT BUREAUCRATIC SPACES IN
BETWEEN, BUT ONE OF THE FIRST
THINGS THAT I DID COMING INTO
OFFICE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
PANDEMIC AS WELL WAS TO CLEAR
THAT AWAY AND ASK HER TO BE THAT
VOICE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
SO THROUGH HER LEADERSHIP AND
HER TEAMS, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO
NOT JUST PUT BAND-AIDS ON ISSUES
STEMMING FROM COVID-19 AND THE
PANDEMIC BUT TO REALLY LAY A
FOUNDATION FOR ALL OF THE
TARGETED INTERVENTION, PROGRAMS
AND SERVICES THAT WERE NEEDED
LONG BEFORE THIS VIRUS THAT ARE
DIRECTLY EXACERBATING.
ONE STRATEGY SO MAKE SURE WE ARE
WORKING AND PARTNERING DIRECTLY
WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS BAW
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CITY
CAN PROVIDE THAT OUTREACH, WE
CAN LOOK TO MAKE CONNECTION, WE
CAN OPEN UP TESTING CENTERS OR
WALK-IN SITES FOR VACCINATION,
BUT THE MOST THAT COULD MOVE THE
NEEDLE IN BOSTON WAS ALWAYS WHEN
WE DEFERRED TO LOCAL COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS, GRASSROOTS
LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO
ALREADY HAD THE RELATIONSHIPS TO
BE ABLE TO REACH PEOPLE
DIRECTLY.
SO BUILDING THAT SENSE OF
COMMUNITY AND TRUST AND WORKING
DIRECTLY WITH THOSE WHO HAVE
BEEN ON THE GROUND AND IN THE
FIELD FOR YEARS IS KEY.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO MAKE SURE
THAT AS WE THINK ABOUT ALL
ASPECTS OF POLICY, WHETHER IT'S
HOUSING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON OR
PUBLIC SAFETY OR THE APPROACH TO
HOW WE ARE PLANNING FOR OUR
EDUCATION SYSTEM TO RECOVER,
THAT THE CONNECTION AND
INTERSECTION WITH PUBLIC HEALTH
IS REALLY ELEVATED IN ALL OF
THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
COMMENTS THAT HAVE COME IN AND
QUESTIONS, AND I KNOW THAT WHAT
YOU ARE SHARING IS REALLY
RESONATING WITH PEOPLE.
HOW DO I KNOW?
WELL, I'LL GIVE YOU SOME
EXAMPLE.
SO SOMEONE WRITES, ONLY A
COMPLIMENT, I CONSIDER IT RARE
AND VERY IMPORTANT FOR A PERSON
WHO'S HAD GREAT SUCCESS TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LUCK PLAYS A
ROLE.
AND I ONLY WANTED TO SAY THANK
YOU TO VIVEK MURTHY FOR SAYING
THAT AND FOR MODELING GREAT
LEADERSHIP TO SUCH A LARGE
GROUP.
SO LET ME ASK A QUESTION.
THERE ARE A COUPLE QUESTIONS
THAT HAVE COME IN WHERE OUR
AUDIENCE IS INTERESTED IN YOUR
ADVICE AS IT RELATES TO CAREER.
SO I'D LIKE TO ASK THOSE
QUESTIONS AND EITHER OF YOU FEEL
FREE TO CHIME IN.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, DUE TO
EXPERIENCES WITH DISCRIMINATION
AND RACISM, I GREW UP PASSIONATE
ABOUT MY IDENTITY AS AN ASIAN
AMERICAN WOMAN.
AS A RESULT OF SPEAKING UP ABOUT
DIVERSITY ISSUES, I'M ALSO
LABELED AS THE TOKEN ASIAN OR AM
EXPECTED TO BE AN EXPERT ON ALL
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES.
I STILL WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN
DIVERSITY INITIATIVES.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR A
YOUNG ASIAN AMERICAN
PROFESSIONAL STARTING OFF THEIR
CAREER IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE?
>> DR. MURTHY, YOU GO AHEAD
FIRST.
>> SURE, SURE.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M SO GLAD THAT
YOU'RE ASKING THE QUESTION,
BECAUSE I DO THINK WHAT YOU'RE
REPRESENTING IS THE FACT THAT
ALL OF OUR VOICES REALLY DO
MAKER IT WHEN IT
MATTER WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING
SURE AMERICAN IS A HOME FOR
EVERY GROUP, INCLUDING AAPIs,
AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT THAT
EACH OF US CAN DO.
IF YOU ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, AT NIH
AND THERE ARE GROUPS, AAPI
GROUPS THAT ARE HELPING TO
ADVANCE THE PARTICIPATION OF
AAPIs IN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF
RESEARCH FOR THE NIH COMMUNITY
OR THAT ARE LOOKING TO HELP
REPRESENT MORE ABOUT THE AAPI
COMMUNITY TO THE BROADER NIH
COMMUNITY.
THOSE ARE GOOD GROUPS, I THINK,
TO BE A PART OF AND TO LEND YOUR
VOICE TO.
I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, IN IN
THE SPHERES THAT WE OCCUPY,
WHETHER THAT'S OUR OWN WORKING
GROUP AND WORKING DIVISION OR
WHETHER IT'S A BROADER AGENCY
THAT WE'RE A PART OF, I THINK
ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTRACT FROM
OUR OWN EXPERIENCE AND OUR
UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK FOR EVERY
MEMBER OF ASIAN AMERICAN AND
PACIFIC ISLANDER AND NATIVE PA
WINE COMMUNITY,
HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY BUT WE CAN
HELP PEOPLE LEARN AND BROADEN
THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE AAPI
COMMUNITY.
I KNOW MANY OF US HAVE
EXPERIENCED RISM RACISM AND
DISCRIMINATION, IT'S EASY TO
HOLD SOME OF THAT BACK, BUT IN
THESE MOMENTS TO BE ABLE TO
SHARE MORE AND HELP PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND US AND OUR COMMUNITY
IS ACTUALLY VITAL.
THE LAST THING EYE SALE IS TO
LEND YOUR SUPPORT TO OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE ASM API AAPI COMMUNITY
BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THIS IS
A TIME WHERE -- NONE OF US ARE
NEVER ENOUGH ALL THE TIME BUT
TOGETHER WE CAN BE ENOUGH ALL OF
THE TIME, AND THIS REQUIRES US
BEING THERE FOR ONE ANOTHER,
REACHING OUT PROACTIVELY TO
SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
YOU NEVER KNOW FROM THE OUTSIDE
TESTIMONY PEOPLE ARE HAVING A
TOUGH TIME BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A
SOCIETY THAT TELLS US YOU SHOULD
GLOSS IT ALL OVER AND LOOK LIKE
WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING TOGETHER,
WHETHER THAT'S IN REAL LIFE OR
ON INSTAGRAM OR WHEREVER IT IS.
SO CHECKING IN ON YOUR FELLOW
AAPI COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS
IMPORTANT TO SEE HOW ARE YOU
DOING, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS
PANDEMIC, THIS IS A TIME WHERE
HATE CRIMES AGAINST MEMBERS OF
OUR COMMUNITY HAVE SKYROCKETED.
MANY PEOPLE HAD FAMILY MEMBERS
WHO ARE IMPACTED, MANY PEOPLE
FELT LIKE THEY WERE LOOKED AT
DIFFERENTLY AS THEY WALKED
THROUGH THE TOWN AND THROUGH
NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THIS IS A TIME WHERE I THINK
PROACTIVELY CHECKING ON ONE
ANOTHER, HAVING SPACES ACTUALLY
TALK ABOUT HOW WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN THE WORLD IS AFFECTING US AND
AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY, THAT IS
SO, SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE
OTHERWISE MOST PEOPLE DON'T
ALWAYS HAVE SPACES WHERE THEY
CAN TALK ONLY ABOUT HOW WORLD
EVENT AND ESPECIALLY EXPERIENCE
OF RACISM IS IMPACTING THEM.
SO JUST A FEW THOUGHTS.
BUT LET ME TURN IT OVER TO MAYOR
WU.
I'M SURE SHE HAS MUCH BETTER
SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU.
>> I WAS GOING TO START BY
SAYING I UNDERSTAND AND HEAR
THAT FRUSTRATION.
I HAVE LIVED IT AND IN BOSTON --
WELL, I GUESS NATIONALLY, I WAS
TOLD IN THE COURSE OF MY
ELECTION AS MAYOR THAT IF YOU
COUNT ALL OF THE LARGEST CITIES
IN THIS COUNTRY, VERY, VERY FEW
HAVE EVER HAD AN ASIAN AMERICAN
MAYOR AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF
THOSE WHO HAVE, HAVE BEEN ASIAN
AMERICAN MEN IN THOSE ROLES.
SO IN SOME WAYS IT'S STILL NEW
FOR US AS A COUNTRY TO SEE ASIAN
AMERICANS IN CERTAIN LEADERSHIP
ROLES, AND WE ARE WORKING
DILIGENTLY AND WITH HOPEFUL
DETERMINATION TO KEEP BUILDING
THAT PIPELINE AND BOOST THAT
VISIBILITY, BUT I AM ONLY THE
SECOND EVER ASIAN AMERICAN TO
SERVE IN BOSTON CITY GOVERNMENT
AT ALL, EVER, SAM NEUN ELECTED
TO CITY COUNCIL FROM 2005 TO
2009, I'M THE ONLY OTHER ASIAN
AMERICAN WHO'S EVER SERVED, SO
IT WAS A VERY -- ANYISH THEY WOULD TURN
TO ME AND SAY, WELL, AND IT WAS
MANY MOMENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR EDUCATION.
SO I THINK ONE POINT I WANT TO
MAKE IS THAT AS DR. MURTHY SAID,
ENCOURAGING AND BUILDING THE
PIPELINE AND REACHING OUT TO
OTHER ASIAN AMERICANS TO BOOST
OUR LEADERSHIP AND VISIBILITY,
WHEN YOU DO HIT A TIPPING POINT,
IT IS TRANSFORMATIVE.
WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE COUNCIL,
THERE WERE ONLY TWO WOMEN OUT OF
13 AND EVERYTHING WAS ABOUT THE
WOMEN COUNCILLORS, WHAT WERE WE
DOING, WHAT WERE WE PLOTTING
TOGETHER, WERE WE VOTING THE
SAME WAY, DIFFERENTLY?
THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE TWO MORE
WOMEN WERE ELECTED.
BUT IT STILL HAPPENED.
IT WASN'T UNTIL SIX WOMEN OUT OF
13 WERE SERVING THAT NOW TODAY
WE'RE A NA MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL,
YOU DON'T HEAR THE TERM "WOMAN
COUNCILLOR" ANYMORE BECAUSE IT'S
JUST EXPECTED.
IT CAN BE A BLESSING BUT ALSO A
TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY AND
BURDEN AT TIMES TO BEAR THAT
SORT OF HEADWIND THAT YOU'RE
MAKING.
I THINK FOR ME ALSO, ONE BIT
DEPENDING -- THIS MIGHT APPLY
ACROSS INDUSTRIES IS TO THINK
ABOUT BUILDING THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION AND
COALITION BUILDING OUTSIDE OF
TIMES OF CRISIS AS WELL, IT'S
ONE THING TO FEEL LIKE NO ONE IS
GOING TO SPEAK UP WHEN THERE'S A
TENSE MOMENT EXCEPT FOR YOU AND
THEN YOU'RE ALWAYS PUT IN THAT
ROLE.
THERE'S ANOTHER THING TO -- IT'S
ANOTHER THING TO WORK WITH THE
LARGER ORGANIZATION OR AGENCY TO
PLAN FOR THE CHANCE OUTSIDE OF
THOSE URGENT TENSE MOMENTS TO
HAVE REAL CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT
WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE AAPI
CULTURAL AND LEADERSHIP
CELEBRATED TO HIGHLIGHT THE
COMMON STRUGGLES THAT OUR
COMMUNITY HAS HAD ALONGSIDE AND
IN SOLIDARITY WITH OTHER
COMMUNITIES SO THAT IN THOSE
TENSE MOMENTS AND IN THOSE
EMERGENCY CRISES OR CONFLICTS,
THERE'S A DIFFERENT CONTEXT TO
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU
HAVE BACKING YOU UP.
>> WOW.
WE HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND
COMMENTS, AND I REALIZE THAT OUR
TIME IS SHORT AND I WANT TO BE
MINDFUL OF THAT, SO TO THE
AUDIENCE, I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR SENDING THOSE QUESTIONS IN.
I WON'T BE ABLE TO GET ALL OF
THEM IN.
I WOULD LIKE TO JUST OFFER AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SHARE
ANYTHING ELSE TO HELP, ANY
LESSONS LEARNED OR ANY IDEAS TO
HELP INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION
AS WE CLOSE TODAY'S
CONVERSATION.
WOULD EITHER OF YOU -- MAYOR WU?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
ME.
IT IS A JOY AND AN INSPIRATION
TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AND SEE,
DR. MURTHY, IN YOUR LEADERSHIP
ROLE, AND THANK YOU, MONICA, FOR
SO SKILLFULLY MODERATING AND FOR
ALL THAT YOU DO IN YOUR ROLE
EVERY DAY.
I THINK FOR A LONG TIME, I FELT
LIKE RAISING MY HAND FOR A
LEADERSHIP ROLE IN SOME WAYS
MEANT I HAD TO GO AGAINST OR
UNLEARN HABITS WHEN I WAS
GROWING UP, THE HIGHEST PRAISE
MY PARENTS COULD GIVE ME WAS
CONNOTATIONS OF RESPECTFUL,
OBEDIENCE BUT NOT ROCKING THE
BOAT, AND POLITICS SOMETIMES
FEELS LIKE THE OPPOSITE OF THAT,
WHERE YOU HAVE TO DEFEND YOUR
VIEWPOINT, GET IN THERE AND
LEAD.
BUT IN FACT, I REALIZE THAT I
WAS AS BOXED IN IN HOW I WAS
THINKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND
WHO HAS THE CAPACITY AND ABILITY
TO LEAD AS ALL THOSE WHO HAD
COME BEFORE ME.
AND IN FACT THE CULTURAL VALUES
THAT SO MANY ASIAN AMERICAN
FAMILIES AND SORT OF FIRST
GENERATION CHILDREN HAVE BEEN
RAISED WITH IN IMMIGRANT
FAMILIES ARE THE EXACT VALUES
THAT WE WANT IN PUBLIC SERVICE
OF A CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY AND
REVERENCE AND APPRECIATION FOR
HISTORY AND THE GREATER GOOD AND
YOUR ROLE IN WORKING HARD TO
MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO I HOPE AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE
TO LEAN INTO WHAT MAKES YOU
AUTHENTICALLY YOU, YOUR
IDENTITY, YOUR CULTURE, YOUR
FAMILY, YOUR RELATIONSHIPS, AND
TO -- WHEN YOU'RE FACED WITH
THAT PROSPECT OF DO YOU REACH
OUT FOR THAT NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO
THINK OF IT NOT SO MUCH AS ARE
YOU PERSONALLY AS READY AS YOU
COULD BE FOR THAT, BECAUSE
CHANCES ARE YOU PROBABLY ARE
PUTTING TOO MUCH EXPECTATION ON
YOURSELF AND SAY WELL, I NEED
MORE EXPERIENCE, I NEED MORE
TIME, ET CETERA.
INSTEAD THIJ OF THINK OF IT OUTSIDE YOUR
OWN BODY, WHO WILL REPRESENT
YOUR COMMUNITY IF YOU'RE NOT AT
THAT TABLE, AND HOW MANY PEOPLE
WILL BE MISSING OUT ON YOUR
LEADERSHIP IF YOU'RE NOT
OFFERING IT.
WE'RE IN A VERY URGENT MOMENT IN
OUR SOCIETY, IN OUR COUNTRY'S
POLITICAL HISTORY, AND IN THE
PLANET'S HISTORY RIGHT NOW, AND
SO WE NEED EVERYONE WHO CAN
POSSIBLY LEAD TO STEP UP AND
OFFER THAT LEADERSHIP.
WE NEED TO BUILD A SOCIETY WHERE
WE CAN SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE AND
TRUST IN EACH OTHER TO WORK
TOGETHER TO GET THERE, AND I'M
SO HONORED TO BE PARTNERING WITH
THOSE IN POST -- IN THIS
ADMINISTRATION AROUND THE CITY
AND COUNTRY TO DO OUR PART AND
HOPE THAT WE CAN MAKE A
DIFFERENCE AS WE LOOK TO PASS
DOWN THIS WORLD TO OUR KIDS AND
GRANDKIDS AFTER THAT.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
ME.
HAPPY AAPI HERITAGE MONTH.
>> WE ARE AT 2:00.
DR. MURTHY?
>> I'LL JUST BE BRIEF AND SAY
THANK YOU TO MAYOR WU FOR BEING
THE INSPIRING LEADER YOU ARE,
FOR GIVING SO MANY OF US HOPE
AND TO MONICA, TO RINA, TO THE
WHOLE TEAM AT NIMH WHO HELPED
MAKE THIS LECTURE SERIES A
REALITY.
THE AAPI IMLEUNT IS A COMMUNITY IS A VITA L
PART OF A AMERICA, YOU ARE A
VITAL PART OF AMERICA, WE WANT
PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT.
AS MAYOR WU WAS SAYING, THIS IS
A TIME WHERE THE NATION NEEDS
AAPI LEADERS TO STEP UP IN
VARIOUS CAPACITIES, AND A LEADER
CAN MEAN THAT YOU LEAD AN AGENCY
OR AN EFFORT WITHIN NIH, IT CAN
MEAN THAT YOU RUN FOR OFFICE, IT
COULD MEAN THAT YOU TAKE THE
LEAD ROLE IN BRINGING YOUR
COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO CREATE A
SPACE WHERE THEY CAN TALK AND BE
TOGETHER AND SUPPORT ONE
ANOTHER.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO LEAD
RIGHT NOW, BUT JUST KNOW THAT
YOUR VOICE AND LEADERSHIP ARE
MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER BEFORE,
AND FINALLY I WOULD JUST SAY
WITH EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN THE
WORLD RIGHT NOW, PRIEST ALSO DO
TAKE PLEASE ALSO
TAKE SOME MOMENTS TO TAKE CARE
OF YOURSELF, TAKE CARE OF YOUR
FAMILY, YOUR LOVED ONES.
THIS IS NOT A SHORT SPRINT WE'RE
IN THE MIDDLE.
THIS IS A MARATHON.
THE COUNTRY IS GOING TO NEED
AAPI ENGAGEMENT AND LEADER FOR
YEARS AND YEARS TO KO. WE ALSO
WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN
THAT ENGAGEMENT FOR THE FUTURE,
SO TAKE THOSE MOMENTS, TAKE CARE
OF YOURSELF AND KNOW THAT YOU
ARE A VITAL PART OF AMERICA AND
YOUR VOICE IS MORE NEEDED THAN
EVER.
SO APPRECIATE YOU FOR DOING
THIS.
HAPPY AAPI HERITAGE MONTH.
>> ELISEO, I'LL GIVE YOU ONE
MOMENT.
I JUST WANT TO -- BEFORE YOU
CLOSE US OUT, PERSONALLY THANK
BOTH OF YOU FOR REALLY
FASCINATING AND THOUGHT
PROVOKING CONVERSATION, AND ON
BEHALF OF THE ORGANIZERS OF THIS
EVENT, THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AT
THE NIH, THE FEDERAL ASIAN
PACIFIC AMERICAN COUNCIL, THE
CHAPTER, AND THE OTHER AAPI
GROUPS AT SISTER FEDERAL
AGENCIES FROM FDA, CDC, HRSA
THAT WORKED REALLY HARD TO PUT
THIS EERCHT TOGETHER AND I KNOW
YOU ARE BOTH SO BUSY SO WE'RE
APPRECIATIVE YOU'VE TAKEN TIME
TO BE WITH US TODAY.
DR. PEREZ-STABLE?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MONICA,
FOR AGAIN MODERATING THIS IN A
MAGNIFICENT WAY.
VIVEK, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE YOU
AGAIN, AND MAYOR WU, I HOPE TO
MEET YOU SOMETIME WHEN I GO TO
BOSTON SOMETIME LATER THIS YEAR.
SO THANKS, EVERYONE, FOR
ATTENDING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANKS SO MUCH, EVERYONE.