Ģ����Ƶ Abortion Care & Reproductive Justice Institutes – Summer 2026

Four In-person Learning Opportunities the Summer in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC!

Summer 2026 – Applications Open Now – Seats Limited!

Four Date Options in Summer 2026:
May 14 – 17 (Summer A)
June 11 – 14 (Summer B)
July 30 – August 2 (Summer C)
August 20 – 23 (Summer D)

No cost for selected applicants – Scholarships cover ALL expenses
Apply Today!

If YOU are a medical student based in the U.S., an Ģ����Ƶ member* and YOU, like Ģ����Ƶ, believe:

• reproductive health services, including abortion care, are essential to comprehensive health care,
• legal, safe, voluntary abortions should be available to all who need them, regardless of how much they earn, who they work for, or what state they live in, and
• both Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) and Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs should offer abortion education and training.

If YOU uphold the fundamental principles of reproductive justice:**

• the right to have children,
• the right to not have children, and
• the right to nurture the children we have in a safe and healthy environment.

If YOU are interested in becoming part of a diverse physician workforce that includes highly skilled, culturally sensitive physicians prepared to provide abortion services to those who need them in various health care workplaces.

And, YOU are available ANY of these four date options:

• May 14 – 17 (Summer A)
• June 11 – 14 (Summer B)
• July 30 – August 2 (Summer C)
• August 20 – 23 (Summer D)

READ ON!

The Ģ����Ƶ Abortion Care & Reproductive Health Project is excited to host 4 in-person Abortion Care & Reproductive Justice Institutes this summer.
Each Institute will engage 10 U.S. based medical students in thought-provoking, dynamic conversations, as well as issue education, and hands-on clinical skill-building, with key experts working in abortion care, reproductive health and education, research, or reproductive and social justice.

Our retreat-like setting is a beautiful private location nestled deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Institutes are designed to provide deep dive opportunities to build knowledge, skills, and connections in a supportive, nurturing and Love-centered community, with a focus on finding and connecting with joy as we work on challenging issues facing our communities and future practice as physicians.

Clinical skill-building sessions will include a MVA “papaya” workshop and values-clarification training.

We will explore the impact of the Dobbs decision on reproductive health access, practice and policies at the state level, as well as medication abortion and self-managed abortion. Learning opportunities will also include:

• effective messaging communications
• networking and advocacy training
• building power and your circles of influence
• identifying and engaging reproductive freedom champions in your state
• values-based research and using data to make change.

The Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project provides resources and on-going support to organize local education and skill-building sessions for future physicians around the United States.
Institute participants will be encouraged and supported to share the knowledge and skills they will gain through research project posters, journal articles, blog posts, social media, or organizing local events during the 2025-2026 academic year. Local events could include, but are not limited to: clinical skills-building, networking and advocacy training, issue education, understanding state reproductive health policies, and values-based messaging and research.

The program begins on Thursday evening with a group dinner and ends after breakfast on Sunday morning. In addition to didactic and clinical workshop-style learning, there will be ample time for informal conversations, delicious meals and snacks, walking in the woods, star-gazing, and relaxing in the hot-tubs and around the fire. Each participant will have their own bedroom, some bathrooms will be shared. Meals will be prepared together.

• Want to know more about what an Ģ����Ƶ Repro Institute is really like?
  Read what a M4 student who joined us last summer had to say about the experience
  Recharging Your Medical Passion: The Power of a Retreat
  Why Every Medical Student Should Do a Medical Retreat (for any specialty)

Successful applicants will receive reimbursements (up to $600) to cover their travel expenses (students make their own travel arrangements). All meals, on-site training supplies, and transportation from the to the retreat location are provided at no cost.

DEADLINES:

• Application deadline for ALL 2026 Institutes is Sunday, March 29 at 11:59pmPT
• Applicants are accepted on a rolling basis and will be notified of acceptance at least 30 days before the Institute they are selected for
• Selected applicant must confirm attendance within 7 days of notification of their selection

Upon completion of the Institute, certificates of participation to add to your CV will be provided.

Applications Open Now – Seats Limited
Apply Today!

###

For more information email rhp@amsa.org

*Ģ����Ƶ membership info link
**Source –

The post 4 Amazing Summer 2026 Adventures in Learning with the Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project – Apply Today appeared first on Ģ����Ƶ.

Voices of Primary Care:
Dr. Kelly Thibert, Family Physician & Abortion Provider in Nevada��

Written by Nikitha Balaji, Ģ����Ƶ National President

In celebration of Ģ����Ƶ’s annual National Primary Care Week, we are uplifting the voices and stories of primary care physicians whose work embodies the heart of primary care – a path to medicine which is grounded in equity, community, and patient-centered medicine. Throughout this series of interviews, we invite readers into conversations about the power of primary care, the unique joys and challenges of the field, and the many paths one might take in pursuing this calling to heal.

For our first installment, I had the honor of speaking with Dr. Kelly Thibert, DO, MPH, a family medicine physician and comprehensivist practicing ambulatory medicine in Nevada, past Ģ����Ƶ National President, and current Chair to the Ģ����Ƶ Foundation Board of Directors. Together, we reflected on her journey to family medicine, the impact of and need for primary care in our present moment, and the continued place that Ģ����Ƶ takes in shaping Dr. Thibert’s path as an inspiring physician-activist.

Nikitha: Welcome Dr. Thibert! Could you get us started today by introducing yourself and telling us a bit about the primary care work you do?

Dr. Thibert: Absolutely, thanks so much for having me. I’m so excited to be here for National Primary Care Week. I’m Dr. Kelly Thibert – my pronouns are she/her. I’m currently a family medicine physician in Las Vegas, working for a branch of the federal government, where I’m providing care for folks who are 18+. With that, I am providing abortion care, gender-affirming health care, and primary care, and am seeing folks on a day-to-day basis in the ambulatory setting. In that role, I’m still able to participate in advocacy and activism in various ways, both within my job and outside, really encompassing what it means to practice family medicine.

Nikitha: That is so amazing. It sounds like in many of those different parts of primary care that you practice within, that skill set and orientation towards advocacy is so important, especially at this current moment that we’re in.

What initially inspired you to pursue family medicine, and where did you see Ģ����Ƶ shepherding you in that journey, in addition to other early advocacy experiences?

Dr. Thibert: Ģ����Ƶ was vital, first in helping me get into medical school. It was the reason I joined Ģ����Ƶ. Then, I learned that Ģ����Ƶ was so much more than getting into medical school. Ģ����Ƶ taught me what osteopathic physicians were, and I’m proudly an osteopathic physician. Ģ����Ƶ helped me to learn about the different specialties that I could consider.��

It wasn’t until my fourth year, getting ready to go into my presidency year within Ģ����Ƶ, that I really had a great experience in a family medicine setting. That was at a rotation where I was at an FQHC – a federally qualified healthcare center – rotating with this incredible family medicine doc. He was practicing full spectrum: pediatrics, hospice care, treating patients living with HIV, participating in public health by means of both encouraging and advocating for his patients with them and alongside them in and outside of the clinical setting.��

It was then that I realized that these are all the things that I want to do in family medicine. I was so excited about every rotation that I always had in medical school and ultimately that boiled down to: this might be family medicine that I want to do. That rotation really solidified it for me.��

Ģ����Ƶ was there every step of the way, both as a pre-med and especially as a medical student. It was really helpful to have a space to come back to when I was learning. Medicine has a lot of flaws in it – sometimes clinically, a lot of times politically. Ģ����Ƶ was my safe space to come to learn how I could advocate for my patients and for myself as a physician in training. It was important for me to be able to show up in a place where I felt safe, where I felt heard and supported, where I could learn tools to learn how to advocate, both within my medical school and then my residency, and then use that to be the physician that I wanted to be.

Ģ����Ƶ has always been the medical school without walls, and so Ģ����Ƶ has always provided me with all of those additional things that I wanted to learn in medical school that just were never in the curriculum. It really supplemented everything that I wanted to learn to be the best-rounded physician that I can be. And quite frankly, Ģ����Ƶ still teaches me as an attending physician, all the time, still reading and learning and participating in Ģ����Ƶ activities. It was really beneficial and necessary for me to be a part of Ģ����Ƶ, to be the best family medicine doc.

Nikitha: That is so beautiful. It’s so lovely to hear how Ģ����Ƶ has partly shaped your journey towards family medicine. I’m hearing so much about how Ģ����Ƶ provided that safe space for you to explore medicine and all of its points of beauty, but also its flaws.

We’re having this discussion at a time where evidence-based medicine is increasingly under attack, we’re seeing cuts to care on a federal level, and we’re seeing how that places access to healthcare in peril. I’m wondering how you were able to translate that safe space that you experienced at Ģ����Ƶ to what you do now as a family medicine physician, meeting this current moment?

Dr. Thibert: Yeah, this is so important, especially at this time, so I really appreciate you asking that. Medicine, and specifically the physician frontline, is where a lot of patients come to first when they have questions. Most specifically, though, they come to their family doctor. The person who has known them longitudinally, someone who oftentimes knows their entire family. They’ve known them outside of the clinic walls, which really informs how we take care of our patients in family medicine.��

Number one, we are the most trusted resource for patients. We’re the place people come to in order to ask questions. Even if they do their research online, they come to us to confirm that this is, in fact, actually accurate. “Should I listen to this? Or what should I consider?”��

We are the people that patients partner with, and it’s crucial for us to still be here, speaking up, and showing folks that we can help them understand what is actually evidence-based. There are things out there that come across as evidence-based that we know, when we read and we delve a little deeper, are not. Our patients are susceptible to falling prey to that. We are the specialty that’s really going to help our patients and our communities stay healthy and help provide them with evidence-based healthcare and options.��

Family medicine is advocacy at baseline. We’re going to keep being advocates and activists in family medicine – speaking up for justice, speaking up against misinformation, and bringing our voice to Capitol Hill, our communities, and our states for what our patients – and ourselves, as physicians and physicians in training – not only need but deserve as humans living in this country.

Nikitha: It’s so lovely to hear you reflect on family medicine and how you’re meeting this moment in your specialty and the unique role that you’re able to occupy in the field of medicine through your primary care orientation.

For all those who are aspiring to family medicine and who are tuning in to this National Primary Care Week, what parting message would you leave for them?

Dr. Thibert: I would say choose family medicine – we’re the best specialty. I’m not just saying that because I’m a little biased as a family doc.

Truly, we can do it all. We can deliver babies, we can be there for people’s last breaths, we can help with an entire family in one visit, which is so unheard of. We can be there on Capitol Hill. We can do it all.��

You can really choose your own adventure, too. You can choose if you want to do a particular part of family medicine or you can do the whole thing and be a comprehensivist. You can really find what you love in medicine, find what you’re passionate about, and be there and succeed in it, and be there for your patients and for your communities.

I want you to just choose family medicine. There is a whole great world of family docs here ready to accept you with open arms, and we could not be more excited to stand next to you, to be your colleagues, and to be in this fight for social justice together.

###

Watch & Share Nikitha’s interview with Dr. Thibert on @Ģ����Ƶnational Instagram

The post Voices of Primary Care: Dr. Kelly Thibert – Family Physician & Abortion Provider in Nevada appeared first on Ģ����Ƶ.

SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE��

Reproductive Justice & 15 Years of The Affordable Care Act

Written by Becky Martin, Ģ����Ƶ Senior Manager of Reproductive Health Advocacy

Sunday, March 23rd, marked 15 years since President Obama signed into law The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare as many call it. Since its hard-won passage have signed up for coverage through ACA marketplaces – that means now get their health care coverage via the ACA. An have gained coverage through ACA supported Medicaid Expansion in 41 states and DC.��

�ճ󲹳�’s who now have affordable health care coverage here in the United States — thanks to those who knew our nation could do better and
raised their voices for change, and didn’t take no as the answer.��

We still have a way to go to achieve Ģ����Ƶ’s long-time goal of high-quality, affordable, accessible, sustainable, and equitable healthcare for all in our nation, and join the rest of the countries in the industrialized world in providing universal health care ensuring the human right to health care (Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 25).

At Ģ����Ƶ we believe reproductive rights are human rights. With our Reproductive Health Project we explore the connections between reproductive justice and health justice, and work to help students�� lift their voices for reproductive freedom and health care for all. ��We invite you to explore and share the resources below, to celebrate the gains we’ve made, and know that even in the face of the turmoil rising in our country today Ģ����Ƶ’s vision of HEALTH CARE FOR ALL is absolutely achievable & YOU can find YOUR people in Ģ����Ƶ!

– CBPP��

�� – KFF

Medicaid & ACA Medicaid Expansion in YOUR State & Congressional District��

– HealthCare.gov

: Importance & Impact – NWLC

: A Critical Policy That Must Be Protected – Guttmacher Institute

– KFF

Preventive Care Coverage for:

No gender-based premiums:
– KFF

Insurers Cannot Limit Coverage Amounts
– KFF

The post Reproductive Justice & 15 Years of The Affordable Care Act appeared first on Ģ����Ƶ.

SPOTLIGHT ON ABORTION CARE & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE��

Women Hold Up Half the Sky,
But What About the Conditions on the Ground?

Written by Jeff Koetje, MD, Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Programming Strategist

As I sit down to write this post for a special edition of the Ģ����Ƶ Repro eNewsletter in recognition of the start of and (March), (March 8), and (March 10), I am mindful – and with a heaviness in my heart – of the truth that this is a world, in 2025, that still does not recognize, honor, and protect the full humanity of roughly half the world’s population. We are alive during a time in human history when the ideology of patriarchy and the systems of patriarchal power have a grip – a death grip – on the world. Of course, patriarchy and patriarchal systems don’t operate in isolation, as they are inextricably linked with heterosexism (heteropatriarchy), cis-sexism (cis-heteropatriarchy)�� and white supremacy (white supremacist cis-heteropatriarchy).��

When we also include, as we should, a consideration of globalized capitalism and (neo-)colonialism, we must honestly acknowledge that there is currently no globally-dominant ideology or system that views women, girls, femme people, and people with uteruses as fully human. I’m not going to start an essay about the status of women in this society (the US) or globally, by gaslighting anyone into thinking that the material conditions of life are better than they actually are for women, girls, femme people, and people with uteruses. They are not. And to have to say this in 2025 is the shame that will hang forever around the collective neck of all of us who are alive in this moment. Or let me say, this will be our shame, unless we actually take radical action to radically change the status of women, girls, femme people, and people with uteruses, by radically changing ourselves, our beliefs, our values, our systems, and our politics.��

If you’ve read my previous Spotlight articles here in the Ģ����Ƶ Repro eNewsletter, you know that I frequently write from a deeply personal perspective. This article will be no different. I grew up as an effeminate, quiet, bookish boy in a cultural milieu that was thoroughly saturated in white supremacist heteropatriarchal religion, militarism, and politics. For the entirety of my primary and secondary education, within the walls of a Christian�� school, I was relentlessly bullied for my non-normative masculinity – called a faggot, a fag, a girl, a pussy – and it was never not clear to me that the violence directed at me was because I somehow violated the terms and conditions of my membership in this giant club of men and boys (which I never recalled signing up for in the first place). So, from my earliest awareness of myself as a boy, I was also aware that I was already in violation of the rules of what boys must be. And what they must not be, and cannot be allowed to be: a girl. One of the earliest memories I have, related to my gender, is of being scolded for not being “boy enough” – which was really much more about being “too girly” – when my mother observed me tuck my robe underneath my legs (like one might do when wearing a dress or skirt), as I sat down on the family room couch, and she said, with shame dripping from every word, “�ٴDz�’t do that. �ٴDz�’t sit down like that.” My mother murdered my spirit in that moment; I knew instantly that what she was saying had everything to do with my failure to be “man enough.” It was also an early lesson in the god-awful truth that, among the oppressed, there will always be some number willing to serve as overseers in the interest of the oppressors.��

Femmephobia (the root of misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia) runs deep. Notions around gender are matters that I’ve had to pay attention to my entire life, because my own self-preservation required the development of a hyper-awareness of the spoken and unspoken boundaries that separated “boy/man/masculine” (good) from “girl/woman/feminine” (bad). In this way, I’ve internalized a heightened awareness of the sociopolitical, cultural, and material status of women, girls, femme people, and people with uteruses, because, for a significant portion of my life, I’ve been lumped in with the half of humanity which white supremacist cis-heteropatriarchy deems less-than-fully-human. I was rejected by patriarchy, first, for�� my effeminate mannerisms, and then, ultimately, for being gay (quite literally rejected: my father and my mother have disowned me for being gay.)

So, I’m writing this essay at the start of the month that focuses on the sociopolitical, cultural and material status of women, girls, femme people, and people with uteruses, and that also foregrounds, celebrates, and honors what women and femme people have contributed to the human experience. Afterall, even Mao Zedong, referencing an old Chinese proverb, famously said during the Chinese Cultural Revolution of 1966 – 1976, “Women hold up half the sky.” Honestly, this is an understatement, but even if we just accept the statement at face value, I have to ask – we all need to ask –

Sure, but do we really mean it? Does the undeniable truth of the full humanity of women, girls, femme people, and people with uteruses actually mean anything in the material sense,
in terms of the conditions of their lives, here on the ground, where humans actually live?

Patriarchy has no problem putting women on pedestals, ostensibly to honor them; but pedestals are just another form of patriarchal confinement, control, even imprisonment.

Here’s a prediction that should cause all of us to stop dead in our tracks. According to the World Economic Forum, our world will not reach full�� gender parity until the late 2150s if the rate of progress does not accelerate from the current trajectory.���ճ󲹳�’s another 130 years, or more – that’s another five to seven human generations from now! No wonder the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is “Accelerate Action!” What do we do with this prediction, in light of the legal maxim, “Justice delayed is justice denied”? As earthly creatures with morality, how are we going to respond to this miscarriage of justice? If we do nothing to change the trajectory and the rate of change for the status of women, girls, femme people, and people with uteruses, our non-action is our response. And, just as much, to do nothing would give the lie to any claim that we make about recognizing their full humanity. In the absence of taking a radically different course of action, the ongoing denial of justice and the ongoing harm – even to the point of death – that half of the world’s population is subjected to will continue.��

From my positionality as a cis, white man, my call to action at the start of this month – which is actually a response to the call to action coming from women, girls, femme people, and people with uteruses – is, in part, to call in my male and masculine kin. We, who inhabit the gendered embodiment of masculinity which patriarchy deems most fully human and for which patriarchal systems claim exclusive rights and privileges, must recognize the inhumanity of patriarchy and the inhuman violence of patriarchal systems. And then, we must do the necessary work of delegitimizing the ideology, disentangling ourselves from the false beliefs, and dismantling the violent systems of patriarchy. This is on us (men and masculine people). This is our problem to solve. Our harm to repair. The lives and livelihood of real, flesh-and-blood women, girls, femme people, and people with uteruses depend upon this. And just as much, the embodied humanity of men and boys and masculine people depends upon this, too.

*Image Celebrate Abortion Care Providers on March 10 and Every Day! Learn more – Find Resources ��and��

Find info & resources about Endometriosis throughout March on Instagram @Ģ����Ƶnational. Read & Share On Call Spotlight – The Reality of Endometriosis

###

*Note: an excerpt of this Spotlight is included in Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project eNews #40: Special Issue – Abortion Provider Appreciation Day Next Week & Beyond!
Find the current and past issues in the Ģ����Ƶ Repro eNews Archive.

��

Explore the Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project
Find news, tips, tools, opportunities�� & more!

for Ģ����Ƶ Repro Project Updates

The post Women Hold Up Half the Sky, But What About the Conditions on the Ground? appeared first on Ģ����Ƶ.

The Ģ����Ƶ Abortion Care & Reproductive Justice Institutes are back live & in-person
this summer in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC!

Summer 2025 – Applications Open Now – Seats��Limited!

Four Date Options in Summer 2025:
May 29 – June 1 (Summer A)
June 19 – 22 (Summer B)
July 24 – 27 (Summer C)
August 14 – 17 (Summer D)

No cost for selected applicants – Scholarships cover ALL expenses
Apply Today!

If YOU are a medical student based in the U.S., an Ģ����Ƶ member* and YOU, like Ģ����Ƶ, believe:

• reproductive health services, including abortion care, are essential to comprehensive health care,
• legal, safe, voluntary abortions should be available to all who need them, regardless of how much they earn, who they work for, or what state they live in, and
• both Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) and Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs should offer abortion education and training.

If YOU uphold the fundamental principles of reproductive justice:**

• the right to have children,
• the right to not have children, and
• the right to nurture the children we have in a safe and healthy environment.

If YOU are interested in becoming part of a diverse physician workforce that includes highly skilled, culturally sensitive physicians prepared to provide abortion services to those who need them in various health care workplaces.

And, YOU are available ANY of these four date options:

• May 29 – June 1 (Summer A)
• June 19 – 22 (Summer B)
• July 24 – 27 (Summer C)
• August 14 – 17 (Summer D)

READ ON!

The Ģ����Ƶ Abortion Care & Reproductive Health Project is excited to host 4 in-person Abortion Care & Reproductive Justice Institutes this summer.
Each Institute will engage 10 U.S. based medical students in thought-provoking, dynamic conversations, as well as issue education, and hands-on clinical skill-building, with key experts working in abortion care, reproductive health and education, research, or reproductive and social justice.

Our retreat-like setting is a beautiful private location nestled deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Institutes are designed to provide deep dive opportunities to build knowledge, skills, and connections in a supportive, nurturing and Love-centered community, with a focus on finding and connecting with joy as we work on challenging issues facing our communities and future practice as physicians.

Clinical skill-building sessions will include a MVA “papaya” workshop and values-clarification training.

We will explore the impact of the Dobbs decision on reproductive health access, practice and policies at the state level, as well as medication abortion and self-managed abortion. Learning opportunities will also include:

• effective messaging communications
• networking and advocacy training
• building power and your circles of influence
• identifying and engaging reproductive freedom champions in your state
• values-based research and using data to make change.

The Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project provides resources and on-going support to organize local education and skill-building sessions for future physicians around the United States.
Institute participants will be encouraged and supported to share the knowledge and skills they will gain through research project posters, journal articles, blog posts, social media, or organizing local events during the 2025-2026 academic year. Local events could include, but are not limited to: clinical skills-building, networking and advocacy training, issue education, understanding state reproductive health policies, and values-based messaging and research.

The program begins on Thursday evening with a group dinner and ends after breakfast on Sunday morning. In addition to didactic and clinical workshop-style learning, there will be ample time for informal conversations, delicious meals and snacks, walking in the woods, star-gazing, and relaxing in the hot-tubs and around the fire. Each participant will have their own bedroom, some bathrooms will be shared. Meals will be prepared together.

• Want to know more about what an Ģ����Ƶ Repro Institute is really like?
  Read what a M4 student who joined us last summer had to say about the experience
  Recharging Your Medical Passion: The Power of a Retreat
  Why Every Medical Student Should Do a Medical Retreat (for any specialty)

Successful applicants will receive reimbursements (up to $600) to cover their travel expenses (students make their own travel arrangements). All meals, on-site training supplies, and transportation from the to the retreat location are provided at no cost.

DEADLINES:

• Application deadline for ALL 2025 Institutes is Sunday, April 27 at 11:59pmPT
• Applicants are accepted on a rolling basis and will be notified of acceptance at least 30 days before the Institute they are selected for
• Selected applicant must confirm attendance within 7 days of notification of their selection

Upon completion of the Institute, certificates of participation to add to your CV will be provided.

Applications Open Now – Seats Limited
Apply Today!

###

For more information email rhp@amsa.org

*Ģ����Ƶ membership info link
**Source –

The post Summer Special! 4 Amazing Adventures in Learning with the Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project – Apply Today appeared first on Ģ����Ƶ.

SPOTLIGHT ON ABORTION CARE & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE��

Human Dignity, Human Rights

Written by Jeff Koetje, MD, Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Programming Strategist

If you’ve been following Ģ����Ƶ National’s social media, including our Instagram and Facebook pages, you’ve likely noticed that the Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project has�� been working with our social media team to create a 30-day series of posts that highlight the 30 identified human rights in the United Nations 1948 document on the , perhaps the best known declaration of human rights in the modern era. We’ve posted about one human right each day over the past week, so, check it out here if you haven’t seen it, or want to check it out again. And keep following us @Ģ����ƵNational on and as we continue on through all 30 declarations in the month of December!

There’s something else about the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights that is rather remarkable and deeply relevant to the political moment we find ourselves in now, with the results of the 2024 election pointing to the possibility of coordinated attempts to weaken the constitutional and legal protections of human and civil rights in the US. What is special about the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights is that it states clearly that all human rights are intrinsically derived from the natural and universal dignity that is possessed equally by every human being. In fact, the declaration’s Preamble begins with these words:

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world…

And immediately following the Preamble, the first article (Article 1) states:

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood [sic].

Notice how dignity and rights go hand-in-hand?

The notion of human dignity has a long history. The word, “dignity” has not always had the meaning of something inherent and equal in all persons. In the past, the word has conveyed a quality whose quantity people possess more or less of, depending on the circumstances. A more dignified person was someone with more wealth, greater social stature, a more important job, or in possession of more power. Dignity, in this way, wasn’t inherent to the humanness of a person, but was “granted” to those deemed worthy by virtue of these external factors. So, the connection between the notion of a dignity that is inherent to all humans and the notion of universal human rights is a more modern connection, but the seeds for it can be traced through much of human history, going back to some of the earliest known recordings of human rights, such as a Persian clay cylinder dated to the mid-500s BCE, known as the Cyrus Cylinder (named after Cyrus the Great of Persia, who established basic rights for Persians and conquered Babylonians, through laws written in cuneiform on the clay cylinder).��

So, while it is true that the word “dignity” has not always referred to an intrinsic quality that is possessed equally by all humans, it has come to mean that over time. And is a great example of how the great flows of human ideas, experiences, language, and values can come together in ways that help us better articulate the meaning that we create when we reflect on the individual and collective human experiences through time and culture. Eventually, we (humans) started to understand that we humans could live better lives, under better conditions, if we come to the table of society with a willingness to grant mutual recognition of human worth, and codify that recognition of human worth through laws that provide basic protections and assurances to each and every person for the material and immaterial conditions for living these better lives. The universal quality of human dignity is the basis for�� – and in fact, demands no less than – recognition of universal human rights – these are rights to, for example, clean water and air, sufficient food and housing/shelter, education, and healthcare…and also sexual pleasure, rest, and play! These are ALL universal human rights!

In this moment of time, in 2024, we are once again faced with direct attacks against so many of our universal human rights, and if we are paying attention, we can notice that these attacks against human rights are preceded by attacks against the notion of universal human dignity. Who are the people whose human dignity is being attacked right now? Trans people. Houseless people. People who are incarcerated. People living with disabilities. People seeking refuge or asylum. Black people. Women. Pregnant people. This is hardly a complete listing, and the list will only grow, if we don’t do what we can and what we must, to stop it. So, let’s come together to preserve, protect, and honor each other’s dignity – a way of saying, the divine in me recognizes the divine in you.

###

*Note: an excerpt of this Spotlight is included in Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project eNews
#33: Building Community, Connecting Human Rights & Repro Justice, Dec 7 2024
Find the current and past issues in the Ģ����Ƶ Repro eNews Archive.

Explore the Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project
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What’s Next Is What We Make It

Ģ����Ƶ National President’s Statement on 2024 Election

Hi future doctor, Annelise here.

I’m writing to you and honestly, I’m not quite sure how to articulate all of my emotions as we face an upcoming four years of uncertainty. When it comes to leadership, especially student-led organizational leadership, we often grapple with how to lead when you’re not quite sure what’s next. For our national leaders, our chapter leaders, and all of us as future and current physicians,�� the question is now— what’s next? Regardless of how you voted during this election, there are still pressing concerns that we, as the future of healthcare, need to reckon with: affordability+accessibility of healthcare, climate sustainability, mental health, gun violence, abortion rights and women’s health… the list goes on.

Over the next four years, in a major way, we will�� inherit the healthcare system that is forged and changed by this election. All of you are going through your training, me included, and developing into the kind of physician you will become and the leader you will be�� in your community. Over the next four years you will, quite literally, learn how to stand between life and death not only in the hospital�� room, but also beyond it. You will take an oath, whether to serve as a student doctor or as a fully-fledged physician, and be charged with doing no harm regardless of your political or personal beliefs. You will be scrutinized, tokenized, and some of you will choose to risk your livelihoods and licenses because of your beliefs and commitment to this profession. To become a physician in this day and age takes a tremendous amount of courage, patience, and grit. It also takes a tremendous amount of privilege and opportunity that we, as future physicians, can use to continue to fight for our patients and our profession. Regardless of who is in the White House, our fight happens day in and day out, patient by patient, family by family. If you’re anything like me, that’s exactly why you chose to dedicate your life to this work.

Medicine is not sexy, it is not easy, but oh is it worth it. We bring a lens to the medical profession�� that our predecessors cannot possibly fathom. So, it is up to us to use our voices to help them, our patients, and our communities understand the dangers we see coming. We have faced crises like this before; standing up for our values unapologetically is something that we at Ģ����Ƶ know a thing or two about. Ģ����Ƶ was forged in the fire of the VietNam War alongside the vision for and the values found within the .��

Today, I hope you’re taking the time to process and be with yourself and your loved ones. I wish I had the answers as to what’s next, but I can promise you that Ģ����Ƶ is, and will continue to be, the place you can come home to find your people and your voice. It’s been 75 years of us standing up for each other and our patients, and we’re not about to stop now.��

To those of us who are scared, angry, outraged, saddened, exhausted—we see you, I see you, and we’re here with you. We have put together a whole host of resources to help you navigate through this time (see below) and we are working on ways we can share and be in community together— stay tuned. Know you are not alone! We will regroup and find the strength to carry on towards our founding vision of a high-quality, affordable, and sustainable health care system that puts people (patients and providers) ahead of profits and ensures all have access to the care they need — regardless of how much they earn, who they work for, or what state they live in.��

For those of you looking to do something right now consider:

• Sign & share the to implement the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and join me in calling on the United States government and private sector organizations to promote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights��
• Join one of the Ģ����Ƶ Action Committees here��
• Sign up for the Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project enewsletter that is filled with useful information and action opportunities .
• Check out from the Ģ����Ƶ Wellness and Student Life Action Committee

In 1961, President John Kennedy posed to the generation of Ģ����Ƶ founders “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Join us at Ģ����Ƶ because now it’s our turn.��

Annelise

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SPOTLIGHT ON ABORTION CARE & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE��

Healing with Art & Activism

Written by Becky Martin, Ģ����Ƶ Senior Manager of Reproductive Health Advocacy

During our collective COVID shutdown we were reminded of the power of music to nurture and heal by the Dr. Elvis Francois and Dr. William Robinson.

This week, we mark the passing of a clarion voice for justice, a voice that united art and activism. A voice that ignited passion calling “.” A voice that co-founded the , and started — Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon died at the age of 81 on Tuesday morning — may she rest in peace and power.��

Much like , “one of the founders of social medicine” did, after recognizing “poverty caused disease as much as germs” and understanding “both the politician and the physician had a moral obligation to heal society,” by calling mid-19th-century physicians to advocate for public health practices and serve as “attorney for the poor,” recognized

“artists really had a big role to play in challenging our society and culture
to transform itself and to do better.”��

Dr. Reagon talked with Democracy Now over the years about the . She spoke eloquently about the ; and about how, as we saw with the , shared song can nurture and unite people with different life experiences in action.��

She had a deep appreciation of the value of young people in creating a better future in our shared world, along with a special understanding of how we stand on the shoulders of giants who’ve come before. If you are not already familiar with the inspirational words and music of Sweet Honey and the Rock I invite you to explore these historic interviews – Legendary Civil Rights Singers and .

As we face the realities of challenges presented by our current profits before people (patients and providers) healthcare non-system in the United States – including our outrageously high and growing rate of maternal mortality – the need for nurturing, healing and connections across our communities is clear. ��Lifting voices in the call for a high-quality, affordable and sustainable healthcare system that ensures access and reproductive freedom and justice for all is essential – together we can make a difference!����

The words of set beautifully in song by Dr. Reagon in are a keen reminder:��

We who believe in freedom cannot rest
We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes

Until the killing of black men, black mothers’ sons
Is as important as the killing of white men, white mothers’ sons

That which touches me most is that I had a chance to work with people
Passing on to others that which was passed on to me

To me young people come first, they have the courage where we fail
And if I can but shed some light as they carry us through the gale

The older I get the better I know that the secret of my going on
Is when the reins are in the hands of the young, who dare to run against the storm

Not needing to clutch for power, not needing the light just to shine on me
I need to be one in the number as we stand against tyranny

Struggling myself don’t mean a whole lot, I’ve come to realize
That teaching others to stand up and fight is the only way my struggle survives

I’m a woman who speaks in a voice and I must be heard
At times I can be quite difficult, I’ll bow to no man’s word

We who believe in freedom cannot rest
We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes

###

*Note: an excerpt of this Spotlight is included in Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project eNews #25: , July 20, 2024
Find the current and past issues in the Ģ����Ƶ Repro eNews Archive.

Explore the Ģ����Ƶ Reproductive Health Project
Find news, tips, tools, opportunities�� & more!

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The post Healing with Art & Activism appeared first on Ģ����Ƶ.

We are pleased to introduce Nate Porter as the Ģ����Ƶ-Doris Duke Foundation Racial Equity in Clinical Equations Civic Science Fellow. Nate’s passion for medicine was ignited during a high school anatomy class, setting him on a path to study Human Physiology at Gonzaga University. Throughout his undergraduate years, Nate immersed himself in various roles, from tutoring to conducting research in sports biomechanics. His commitment to service was evident as he spent two years advocating for foster youth. At Stanford University, Nate’s involvement in research across disciplines such as public health, psychiatry, and transplant surgery reflects his multifaceted approach to addressing healthcare disparities. As the recruitment chair, he has actively worked towards fostering diversity within the student body, recognizing the importance of representation in healthcare education.

Now, as the recipient of this fellowship, Nate will embark on a groundbreaking mission to tackle the root causes of healthcare inequities. His role will encompass everything from leading comprehensive studies on medical research policies to developing advocacy plans for driving systemic change. One of Nate’s primary objectives will be to confront the underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in medical research and clinical trials. By delving deep into the landscape of healthcare algorithms and practices, he will aim to dismantle biases that perpetuate disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes.

Nate’s vision extends beyond mere awareness to actionable solutions. Through collaboration with stakeholders and the implementation of strategic initiatives, he aims to create a more equitable healthcare environment where fairness, dignity, and compassion prevail.

As Nate Porter steps into his role as the Ģ����Ƶ-Doris Duke Foundation Racial Equity in Clinical Equations Civic Science Fellow, he embodies the ethos of change and progress. With unwavering determination and a profound sense of purpose, he is poised to champion equity, diversity, and inclusion within the healthcare landscape, leaving an indelible mark on the path towards a more just and equitable future for all.

Nate Porter

The post Introducing Nate Porter: Ģ����Ƶ-Doris Duke Foundation Racial Equity in Clinical Equations Civic Science Fellow appeared first on Ģ����Ƶ.

Across the country, students are rising up in solidarity protests, demanding immediate action to address the As the surpasses 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza, of which almost half are children, Ģ����Ƶ continues to condemn the attacks on innocent civilians and reiterates our call for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all remaining Israeli hostages, unfettered access to humanitarian aid wherever it is needed, and halting the transfer of arms to Israel. Furthermore, we condemn the , directly enabling this genocide. We call on the US to cease funding and arming genocidal State violence and to stop impeding global efforts to respond to this genocide through entities such as the UN.�� We also echo the students’ voices in calling their , whose products inflict massive death and destruction. Institutions that claim to be about education have no business being in the business of global arms production. It is imperative that we speak up and take action against any and all forms of injustice and systemic violence, including the genocide occuring in Gaza, and we commend the bravery of these students in leading the charge for justice.

The reactions and actions taken by the power-holders of many of these universities has also further revealed the extent to which these institutions are aligned with the current power structure that maintains and perpetuates systemic injustices and global violence. and many of them are suppressing students’ right to free assembly by conflating their critiques of the State of Israel with antisemitism. Ģ����Ƶ condemns these actions taken by many universities as violent, unethical, immoral, and fascistic, utterly incompatible with any claim to democratic principles and practices.

Given the manner in which many universities have reacted to the student-led uprisings and protests, it is more than evident that universities are generally unwilling to function as sites where students and young people can freely step into their power, speak with moral clarity, and take action to reshape the world structures that they are inheriting. Nevertheless, students are claiming this space at their universities, in spite of institutional resistance or refusal to acknowledge their right to do so. Students also need spaces outside of their universities to come together and organize their collective power. In recognition of this need, Ģ����Ƶ is committed to serving students as a space for student activism. As a national, independent, student-led organization, Ģ����Ƶ is a node and network for students to build their power, strengthen their voice, and organize for action.

In just a month, Ģ����Ƶ’s annual meeting, , will convene hundreds of future physicians in Washington, D.C May 30 – June 1, 2024. This gathering has long served as a platform for premedical and medical students to address pressing healthcare issues. This year’s agenda will include, but is not limited to, discussions on abortion restrictions, DEI funding cuts, attacks on LGBTQIA+ healthcare, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In solidarity, we have established dedicated brave spaces to empower all students in their advocacy efforts, fostering dialogue and support to address injustices in Gaza, ensuring that all members are well-informed and actively involved in advocacy endeavors. As students, we are claiming our role in shaping the future of medicine and society, advocating for justice and equity in healthcare worldwide.

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