It’s a little less fuck the patriarchy and a little more gather the faithful,
the architects,
the incendiaries,
the beautiful brainiacs.
And this is the start.
There’s a wisdom in the world that tells us all to put in our time. Drawing lessons across days in fortified walls where, softly painted in white-washed intentions, we emerge more palpable for immersion into revolutionary ranks. CEOs setting their KPIs ask me my 1, 2, and 3:
- What do you want to do? (Increase global access to essential medicines).
- How will you do it? (Cue economic x’s and policy plans—the good stuff).
- Why will you do it? (To alleviate pain. Always, to alleviate pain).
It’s the last point where I tend to diverge from my cloistered colleagues and it’s given rise to the true list I want to be: honest and fearless and kind.
This year, I will leave academia and in that departure, I hope to convey my gratitude to those who have trained me. With humility, acknowledging what my mind could not have seen years ago: that my view of the world and myself needed breaking, strengthening. And with pieces now joined in new ways, I can thank those before me for knowledge and drive and empowerment—
the tenants of their institution I can respectfully hold while passing them by saying:
Trust me.
We’ve got this next part.
We’ll do it right.
Now let us begin.
