Why I love Minnesota politicians

Using UN Special Rapporteurs

I attended a workshop on campus entitlted "Documenting Human Rights Abuses" a couple weeks ago and was turned on to the role of the UN Special Rapporteur. Apparently these public figures are designated "spokespersons" assigned to various issues such as women's rights, indigenous rights, anti-torture and the like to raise awareness as well as conduct fact-finding missions. If allowed into a country, they have the permission on behalf of the UN to enter any location to document the state of human rights within their purview, be it entering a prison where abuse is suspected, or interviewing ministers and heads of state. Here is the current Special Rapporteur on Trafficking.... who also happens to be a strong Nigerian woman. :)

Fund for NY crime victims legal expenses in peril

I was called in last weekend for my first experience as a rape and domestic violence counselor at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in upper Manhattan last weekend. It made for a loaded afternoon. The patient asked me for advice on her questions about health insurance coverage and medications, and although they were questions I grapple with on an intellectual level in class and my papers, in that ER room I had to give her an answer. And I realize, I really don't know enough to say with confidence and how to make the decisions and trade-offs that she has to make in that moment. And thus started my mission to learn about rape and DV issues locally, here in New York City. At least that is a starting point.

Here's one article of interest - http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-c-2009-12-07-64243.113122_Fund_that_pays_for_lowincome_legal_services_spirals_downward.html

Thursday Nights and Opened Mics

By this time in the week, I have fully exhausted myself. Between last minute touches on Biostatistics homework packets, to free lunches via presentations on health care policy and management approaches, to the numerous email that I begin to dread checking on my Blackberry, Thursdays come and it seems high time to sit and relax in my room. Maybe even play on my guitar or the new keyboard in our living room. Sleep would be in order. Instead, I'm gearing up mentally for another evening class that will go until 8:30pm, at which point I will be too tired to make the responsible decision of taking myself home to bed, and instead I'll rashly go out to a bar, make small talk with strangers, and wind up in my bed 5 hours later, *dehydrated* and still unsatisfied.

A case against evening classes?

You could say that.

But then again, tonight is also an Open Mic on the itty bitty Mailman campus in honor of this week's World AIDS Day, as well as the night of my first public performance in New York. It finally came. I couldn't bring myself to jump onto so many stages I've seen since moving here, and yet in the itty itty bitty Hess hall we use for student events, I will finally make my "debut." It's my quiet attempt to take the leap of faith and do what I so love, and yet has become so hard for me to maintain in unfamiliar spaces. In honor of student comraderie, remembering those who died from the virus, and the possibility that it could affect any one of us.... the #1 killer among adult black women is AIDS....I will give what homage I can to the cause. And, hopefully, give a bit of restful purpose to the end of my Thursday night.

Then, I'm heading straight to bed.

Dead Mums Don't Cry

Although I find the title slightly morbid, this is a great film. By "great," I mean "tragic" and yet eye-opening in terms of what is truly meant when we talk about "political will" and "power" and why so many of us run off to get public policy degrees and join Obama's administration to "make change." Dr. Grace Kodindo, one of my professors at Columbia, is featured here for the beautiful, optimistic soul that she has, and to show the serious need for political agitation to reduce maternal deaths in Chad.... and so many other places.... not excluding the US.

In an abstract, BBC-documentary-created-kind-of-way, we see that the doctors and nurses are there (although we know that most less developed countries have physician shortages, especially in rural areas), and the knowledge is there, but the resources and infrastructures are too fragile to save lives. Even with Chad having oil reserves, there still lacks the "political will" and management to make decisions in well-lit offices that will filter down and translate into oxygen in surgery rooms and access to contraceptives that will prevent abortions, and so many other small, inexpensive items that may save lives.

At the end of the film, the Minister of Health (a woman!) comes to visit Dr. Kodindo's clinic, and although she seems to sympathize with the women's plight, you can tell in her eyes that it's "just another sad story" and she quotes management and organization as the problem. I wonder if she finds it within her power to make and inspire those changes, and if she alone can begin to put maternal health at the top of the priority list of the government, and of the Ministry of Health. I wonder if she feels empowered to be an "agitator" to move what resources are there into a much needed direction.

It's hard to get a "handle" on such an enormous issue as maternal health or public health in general, but slowly issues are coming into focus. As someone with a background in policy, now moving into the field of health, I wonder how I personally can feel empowered to do the research to identify problems, make the case for new priorities, and yet also be the one who speaks out and presses for change. I fear there is no class that teaches this.

Activists in Africa

Classes are starting to inspire me. It only took 3 months, but better late than never.

IT PASSED! FIRST STEP TO VICTORY!!!

An exciting weekend. Had class all weekend @ the Mailman (School of Public Health) on health care policy while also sneaking peaks on CSPAN while the House of Representatives debated and voted on their version of health care reform. The final vote came at 11:15pm on Saturday night and my roommate and I watched the final votes come in (a little reminiscent of election day one year ago) in our living room, screaming as the final count raised up slowly and passed the magic # of 218 - the # of supporters needed to pass the bill. Meanwhile I was on the phone with an old colleague from the Hill - who was still in his office waiting for the vote to come through - and also chatting online with a couple old co-workers whom I had been talking to throughout the day. Staffers on the Hill were exhausted after being bombarded with constant calls and this vote laaaate into the night....although I wished I could have been there for the moment of victory, I was definitely there in spirit and had gotten a lot of perspective on politics and health care policy since moving to New York and being in school. I also got to share the excitement of the bill's passage with several other Mailman students in my policy class. What an experience!!!

I think this bill will pass. Unfortunately, I think it will also be watered down considerably while in the Senate in order to get Democrats to support it. No, I did not misspeak - we already know most Republicans won't pass this thing... but the work now is to make sure that our own Democrats in the Senate will support the public option. 39 Dems voted against this thing in the House, the more progressive side of Congress and the vote was SUPER close at 220-215... the Senate will be far more difficult and we will need virtually every Democrats to support it in order to pass. Otherwise, we pass something watered down and bureaucratic without any real substantive change, just to save face for the President. I hope not.

My fingers are crossed, and I'm also checking news on my NY Republican Senator, Charles Schumer. But all in all, what a great weekend.