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As excited as I am to start #hapc fellowship @UCSF, I’m leaving New York with one major regret... 1/
I moved to NYC 
13 years ago, and like so many others, I fell in love with the city. I wanted to embody every part of it, from the Lincoln Center to early Wburg warehouses. 2/
13 years ago, and like so many others, I fell in love with the city. I wanted to embody every part of it, from the Lincoln Center to early Wburg warehouses. 2/
I felt so lucky to find a sense of belonging in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. #Loisaida is a vibrant, eclectic community of artists and immigrants, and I was ecstatic to call it my home. 3/
I wanted more than anything to contribute to the LES community. But it took years before I began to reckon with the implications of my privilege. As I became more aware of my dual identity as a #millennial gentrifier and LES advocate, I made it my goal to help bridge the gap. 4/
I showed up to community board meetings and #bikeNYC rallies. I volunteered—then was hired as a resident—at Beth Israel, one of the few remaining community hospitals dedicated to serving vulnerable downtown Manhattan populations. 5/
I witnessed the vast gulf between @MountSinaiNYC health system administrators and community members on Beth Israel’s proposed transformation. 6/
Having been present in both the board room and the community center, I can honestly say that MSBI leadership is well-intentioned and truly wants to serve the needs of our community. 7/
But ultimately, hospital amalgamation has led to the loss of community connection. For communities as unique as the LES, this is a big loss. 8/
One-size-fits-all healthcare simply does not work. Improving and diversifying community engagement remains one of the most important challenges for the US health system. 9/
In many ways, the loss of this personal connection reflects the national loss of trust in the healthcare institution. If you can’t trust your own doctors, why would you trust the opinions of other “experts” and scientists? #COVID19 10/
These people are in this profession for the right reasons. They genuinely want to help. But this severing of connection contributes majorly to poor health outcomes as well as #burnout (Too big a #meded topic to address further here). 11/
For me, this division remains unresolved. I sorely regret that I could not find more impactful ways of bridging my training at @MSBI_IM with more effective advocacy for the LES community. 12/
It is not enough for healthcare to be equitable. Particularly during times of crisis, health systems must find a way to leverage our privilege to promote a just society. We can do this by more proactively partnering with the communities that we serve. 13/
Thank you again to my #Loisaida neighbors for welcoming me so wholeheartedly. I will always hold you close in my heart and will never stop trying to do you proud. Farewell for now! /Fin
