National Political HipHop Convention, and so much going on...


So much to share, so much happening...

There's so much to say about this. Last week, we had a partial to the teeth reunion. I say partial because Rahat wasn't able to join us - she was moving into her new digs in Boston, as she's starting her medical internship year there. But the partial reunion was due to the fact that Andru Ziwasimon, a family doctor from New Mexico, and a contributor to this weblog, flew to Newark, NJ to hang out with us and to attend the National Political Hip Hop Convention with us! We met some amazing people at the conference, and networked with some local folks for some near-future meeting and scheming.

And speaking of scheming, that's what we did in the evenings, whether after hiphop concerts, or over dinners. Andru's so positive about everything that being around him instills a feeling of optimism in a world where it's a surprise not everyone's a pessimist. But then again, Michael Kingsley pointed out yesterday that optimism alone ain't no great thang. Either way, a positive attitude is a MUST for activists, because it's so easy to get burnt out and not only become ineffective, but also become a downer to friends, family, and the movement. Our newest schemes included preliminary work on building a movement of physicians who care deeply about the public's health and would place these passions over the guild-like passions and interests of the conservative physicians dominating the American Medical Association. We also schemed some more about community organizing, public hospitals and their responsibility to the public (especially the uninsured), the pros and cons of working on the inside vs working from the outside, race and health, etc.

In the few days before the convention, Barbara and I set up our new place, as she recently returned from Guatemala, and as Pooja (Barbara's previous roommate and a dear friend to us) moved on to her pediatric residency in Long Island, NY. We now have a "study/dj" room, with our desks, printer/scanner, and my dj equipment. Our balcony is beautiful (pictures to come). And our living room looks fabulous, with an added sound system for fun movie-watching, and bookshelves upon bookshelves filled with books.

SO yeah, summer's here, and we're scheming, aligning, nurturing, and enjoying.