Declaring health “the unfinished work” of the civil rights movement, Paula Johnson, an HMS alumna and associate professor of medicine, called on society to embrace that agenda in the 2011 Alvin F. Poussaint, MD Visiting Lecture.
In her talk on Feb. 8, “Achieving Health in the U.S.: Lessons from the Civil Rights Movement,” Johnson posed challenging questions. “What is our broader vision,” she asked. “One that goes beyond a discussion of health care to a unifying movement that builds communities of healthier people? Who are the leaders in the movement, and do we have a role?”
“Health, the right to health care and to live a healthy life are the most basic of human rights,” said Johnson, executive director of the Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology and chief of the Division of Women’s Health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She warned that the next generation of Americans may be the first at risk of worse health than their parents.
Five lessons from the civil rights era, she said, could be applied to a movement to broaden access to health:
- Change takes time. Seek opportunities to accelerate change.
- A compelling vision and effective leadership are critical at all levels.
- Although laws are necessary, change rarely comes through legislation alone.
- Individuals’ needs are important, but genuine reform requires a societal approach.
- Innovation must intersect with health care delivery and public health.
Bridging the gap between the delivery of care and public health is essential, Johnson said, citing examples of success. To treat and prevent asthma, the program Breathe Easy at Home connects public health and health care organizations with city agencies. Its services range from conducting home inspections to providing information about asthma and its environmental triggers.
Illustrating the power of a grassroots effort, Johnson looked to breast cancer activists who, in the 1970s, began a national conversation concerning a disease cloaked in silence and shame. “When you no longer tolerate the status quo, you can create change,” Johnson said.
Johnson pointed to the lecture’s namesake, Alvin Poussaint, HMS professor of psychiatry and faculty associate dean for student affairs. “Dr. Poussaint made the decision to lead from where he stood, on that bridge from racial strife to a better America,” Johnson said. “The greatest tribute we can pay him today is to embrace our task with an equal measure of courage.”
Invited to the podium by HMS Dean for Diversity and Community Partnership Joan Reede, Poussaint offered his hard-won perspective.
“The only way you’re going to create change is by making noise,” he said. Thanking Johnson for a shot of inspiration, he said, “I’m ready to go out and do much more.”
Addressing HMS students, Reede issued a call to action. “Harvard is poised to take a leadership role in this,” she said. “It’s up to you to push us.”
