Read, Connect, Act Solidarity in Action

Transcription

1 Welcome to act.pih.org Clean water and health care and school and food and tin roofs and cement fl oors, all of these things should constitute a set of basics that people must have as birthrights. Paul Farmer, quoted in Dear friend, Welcome to Read, Connect, Act, the first nationwide grassroots event held by the Partners In Health community! We re so excited that you ve chosen to join us for a discussion around global health and social justice. Whether you are a seasoned activist or this is your first introduction to issues of global health and social equity, we hope you find today s activities stimulating and inspiring. In this packet you will find: Discussion suggestions for A list of additional readings and videos for those interested in learning more Next steps for becoming more involved in the movement for global health equity As we at Partners In Health discussed goals for today s book parties, raising awareness and simply getting more people talking about global health topped our list. And while we hope you have a good time today, we also hope that today s conversations will ultimately inspire you to act. As Tracy Kidder is quick to point out, Dr. Farmer s remarkable success cannot be achieved by a few individuals. It will take a movement, and we hope you will be a part of it. Please join us at act.pih.org and help make today s discussion a first step in our shared effort to bring about true equity in global health. Sincerely, Ophelia Dahl Executive Director

2 Sample discussion guide Poverty in a place like Haiti is diffi cult to personalize. If it s in front of you, it has a reality. Alan Ezekowitz, quoted in Selected questions from A Readers Guide: Paul Farmer finds ways of connecting with people whose backgrounds are vastly different from his own. How does he do this? Are his methods something to which we can all aspire? Paul Farmer believes that if you re making sacrifices... you re trying to lessen some psychic discomfort (p.24). Do you agree with the way that Farmer makes personal sacrifices? For what kinds of things do you make sacrifices, and when do you expect others to make them? Kidder points out that Farmer is dissatisfied with the current distribution of money and medicine in the world. What is your opinion of the distribution of these forms of wealth? What would you change, if you could? Farmer designed a study to find out whether there was a correlation between his Haitian patients belief in sorcery as the cause of TB and their recovery from that disease through medical treatment. What did he discover about the relative importance of cultural beliefs among his impoverished patients and their material circumstances? Do you think that this discovery might have broad application for instance, to situations in the United States? The title of the book comes from the Haitian proverb, Beyond mountains there are mountains. What does the saying mean in the context of the culture it comes from, and what does it mean in relation to Farmer s work? Can you think of other situations personal or societal for which this proverb might be apt? Paul Farmer had an eccentric childhood, and his accomplishments have been unique. Do you see a correlation between the way Farmer was raised and how he has chosen to live his life? How has your own background influenced your life and your decisions? Compare Zanmi Lasante to the Socios En Salud project in Carabayllo. Consider how the projects got started, the relationships between doctors and patients, and the involvement of the international community. Kidder explains that Farmer and his colleagues at PIH were asked by some academics, Why do you call your patients poor people? They don t call themselves poor people (p.100). How do Farmer and Jim Kim confront the issue of how to speak honestly about the people they work to help? How do they learn to speak honestly with each other, and what is the importance of the code words and acronyms that they share (for example, AMC s, or Areas of Moral Clarity)? For additional discussion guides and classroom resources, visit

3 Furthering your engagement with PIH If people could be kept from dying unnecessarily, then one had to act. Quote from Thank you for participating in Read, Connect, Act on November 12! Partners In Health is grateful for the support that has been ignited in readers of. We hope that you will continue to grow the social justice movement with us. We welcome you to get involved in any way you wish, whether it is hosting a one-time fundraiser, inviting a PIH speaker to your community, connecting to other PIH supporters in your area, or engaging in the work of social justice more broadly. Take the next step by visiting Here are some ideas to consider: Bring PIH to your community: Bring the PIH photo exhibit to your school, library, or other public space. Request a PIH speaker to come to and address your community. If you are a student, lobby your administration to create new classes or departments to focus on social justice and global health. Reach out to the PIH movement in your area: Find people, groups, or events near you at Learn more about developing a Community of Concern at Host an event for PIH: Gather friends and plan a dinner party, movie night, dance marathon, kickball tournament, concert, bake sale, knitting club whatever you are interested in! Register your group and/or event on to connect to others who might be interested in joining you. Advocate on behalf of PIH and those we serve: Sign on to the Declaration of Solidarity for a Unified Movement for the Right to Health at and spread the word. Learn about and engage in discussions about key issues faced by PIH and other organizations at And more: Volunteer at a community-based organization in your area. Make sure you re bringing priciples of social justice into your life: drink fair trade coffee, learn about where the products you buy are made, engage in learning about the issues of inequity in your own community. Watch videos on PIH s Health and Social Justice Video Network and share them with your friends. Find out how to do all this and more at

4 Information resources Never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world. Margaret Mead quoted by Jim Yong Kim in Books: Bury the Chains: Prophest and Rebels in the Fight to Free and Empire s Slaves Adam Hochschild Mariner Books, 2005 An account of the fi ght to free slaves in the 17th century British Empire, this book unfolds the intricacies of one of the fi rst and most successful social justice movements in Western history. Pedagogy of the Oppressed Paolo Freire Continuum, 1970 An analysis of the fi ght for justice and equity as exemplifi ed in the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized, the book proposes a new pedagogy dedicated to the oppressed, and to those who suffer with them and fi ght at their sides. The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution C.L.R. James Random House, Inc., 1963 A classic and impassioned account of the Haitian Revolution of , which was the fi rst successful slave revolution and became the model for Third World liberation movements from Africa to Cuba. Race Against Time: Searching for Hope in AIDS-Ravaged Africa Stephen Lewis House of Anansi Press Inc., 2006 As UN Special Envoy, Lewis advances real solutions to help societies across the globe achieve the Millennium Development Goals and shows how dreams such as universal primary education, a successful war against the AIDS pandemic, and environmental sustainability, are within the grasp of humanity. Films: Romero the story of El Salvador s Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was assassinated by the right-wing military junta while saying mass in Amistad a tale of resistance, the film follows the plight of captured African slaves in 1839 who achieve a successful mutiny only to be imprisoned upon arrival in the United States. Bamako the parallel stories of a bar singer s life and the proceedings against the World Bank and the IMF that have been set up by African civil society spokesmen. For additional suggestions, visit our website:

5 Donation form and information Partners In Health We encourage individuals who wish to make a direct, tax deductible contribution to: 1. Go to to make an online donation and explore the many easy ways of financially supporting our work or 2. Complete the form that follows and mail it to us with your donation Donor Information: Name: Address: Address: City, State, Zip: Home Phone: Employer: Employer address: Work Phone: Please inquire if your employer offers a matching gift program. How did you hear about Partners In Health? Please mail this form to: PARTNERS IN HEALTH P.O. Box Boston, MA Thank you for helping us in our efforts to ensure equitable access to high-quality healthcare. Partners In Health is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Unrestricted donations from individuals make up more than half of our annual revenue and are critical to our work. Your support will help to fund activities that are central to our mission but often are not covered by larger, more targeted, grants.