Each year, the School of Nursing honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King with a lecture from a prominent local leader, and on February 10th, Penn Nursing had the honor of hearing Councilwoman At-Large Blondell Reynolds Brown.
A longtime proponent of the safety and well-being of children, quality child care, and expanded business opportunities for minorities and women, Councilwoman Brown has, in the spirit of Dr. King, done much to improve the quality of life for our city's most vulnerable citizens. From persuading the Phillies and Eagles to establish a "Fund for Children" and commit $1 million annually for 30 years to authorizing legislation requiring chain restaurants to provide menu labeling with nutritional and caloric information, she has made an enormous impact on the community at large.
"One of the reasons I ran for office," she said, "is that I realized that if you're not at the table, then you get what you get."
Councilwoman Brown's commitment to justice, equality, and service espouses the values of Dr. King. At Penn Nursing, where our motto is "care to change the world," we, too, embody his vision that, "Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."
And it is the work and scholarship of our students and faculty that represent our commitment to making the world better. Through our educational curriculum, our students learn the need for cultural competence in direct care. Through Penn Nursing's Center for Health Disparities, faculty members conduct research that will advance knowledge of the determinants of health among racial/ethnic minorities, marginalized, and underserved populations across the life span.
Nursing research is a tool for social justice. As Penn Nurses, we care to change the world through our science because of our shared belief that as nurse practitioners, scholars and scientists, improving the health of others is not a job, but a responsibility.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
A global commitment
As a nation that is committed to playing a leadership role and in fostering peace in the world, our future is predicated on making a strong investment in the development and well-being of girl children and women.
We must reignite our moral commitment to eliminating disparities and the violating practices and policies that are disempowering to women who make up half of the world’s population. As educators, we must inspire a generation of graduates who are prepared to become citizens of the world.
President Obama should inspire — and invest financially — in a global commitment to women’s health and safety. He should also focus on providing future generations with a more global education. As a product of a multinational education that has shaped his values and experiences, he understands the need for this investment.
Last month, the Institute of Medicine on Monday released The U.S. Commitment to Global Health: Recommendations for the New Administration, a report for the Obama administration that highlighted health as a pillar of U.S. foreign policy and provides specific recommendations as to how the incoming leadership can demonstrate its commitment to global health.
Having served on the IOM Committee on the U.S. Commitment to Global Health, I believe strongly that in this new era of global health, our leadership is a demonstration of American values and moral responsibility. Global health should be an essential component of U.S. foreign policy.
As Senator Clinton said during her Senate Confirmation hearing, "of particular concern to me is the plight of women and girls, who comprise the majority of the world's unhealthy, unschooled, unfed, and unpaid. If half the world's population remains vulnerable to economic, political, legal and social marginalization, our hope of advancing democracy and prosperity is in serious jeopardy. The United States must be an unequivocal and unwavering voice in support of women's rights in every country on every continent."
We must reignite our moral commitment to eliminating disparities and the violating practices and policies that are disempowering to women who make up half of the world’s population. As educators, we must inspire a generation of graduates who are prepared to become citizens of the world.
President Obama should inspire — and invest financially — in a global commitment to women’s health and safety. He should also focus on providing future generations with a more global education. As a product of a multinational education that has shaped his values and experiences, he understands the need for this investment.
Last month, the Institute of Medicine on Monday released The U.S. Commitment to Global Health: Recommendations for the New Administration, a report for the Obama administration that highlighted health as a pillar of U.S. foreign policy and provides specific recommendations as to how the incoming leadership can demonstrate its commitment to global health.
Having served on the IOM Committee on the U.S. Commitment to Global Health, I believe strongly that in this new era of global health, our leadership is a demonstration of American values and moral responsibility. Global health should be an essential component of U.S. foreign policy.
As Senator Clinton said during her Senate Confirmation hearing, "of particular concern to me is the plight of women and girls, who comprise the majority of the world's unhealthy, unschooled, unfed, and unpaid. If half the world's population remains vulnerable to economic, political, legal and social marginalization, our hope of advancing democracy and prosperity is in serious jeopardy. The United States must be an unequivocal and unwavering voice in support of women's rights in every country on every continent."
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