The Quest for Equality is Not Over

Today's inauguration of President Barack Obama is the source of unparalleled pride in African American communities throughout the nation and rightfully so.  Many cannot believe that a person of color is now the leader of the free world, working and living in a home built on the backs of slaves.  That poetic irony is at the core of much of today's emotional celebrations. But the quest for equality is not over in this country and it is somewhat troubling that any of today's events could signal to some that years of prejudice, double standards or bias are over.  It does force us to ask however, just when we might mark that day and I am tempted to consider that equality will be achieved when we elect a mediocre person of color to the White House.  Yes, the day we elect a Latino or African American C+ student who meanders in the shadows of a privileged family and whose quest for political office is no more than after thought--well, then I suppose that may just be the day we can propose equality has arrived.

Make no mistake that Barack Obama is an exceptional individual.  Any careful examination of his life will detail a person who did not grow up with a privileged posture of knowing his admission to the elite schools he attended was a given.  He worked exceptionally hard to access the finest schools in the country, competed to be at the head of his class, and dedicated countless hours to demonstrate his mastery of law in a competitive environment that can be humbling at best and a terrifying daily struggle at worst. His achievements at a young age speak to enormous focus, dedication and yes, "street smarts" to navigate Washington politics.  He did all that without the kind of family history or family name that opens doors, creates access and circumvents the political landmines he has faced.  

President Obama begins his tenure in the White House resting solely on his tenaciousness, the hard work of his election team and a fundamental faith in his dreams.  He's far from average and  perhaps that truly is what great civic leadership must be--extraordinary people doing extraordinary things.   Is it possible that the first election of an African American to the highest office has finally set the bar for standards we should have followed all along? Now, that is poetic irony!   

Wellness Help at Work

The opportunity to reduce health care costs through employer sponsored programs is key to our health care crisis but wellness and lifestyle programs like the ones mentioned in todays WSJ story are only half of the equation. There is substantial research that points to several "social determinants of health" that can be addressed in the workplace. Sir Michael Marmot, head of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health and Director of the International Center for Health and Society at University College London has documented that workers with the least control over their workday often suffer with the poorest health. It shouldn't be all that surprising that being in a job where a worker has little control over daily demands can be wearisome and debilitating. This has enormous implications for the way managers manage and the way work gets designed. If we want to get serious on promoting wellness in the workplace our focus cannot just be on the worker who needs to stop smoking or stop eating poorly. We have to be willing to ask what kind of stressful conditions exist around an employee that undermine her health. A recent documentary Unnatural Causes (available at http://www.unnaturalcauses.org) has summarized these issues and a large number of community organizations and public agencies are rethinking the true nature of our health care crisis. CIGNA has been inspired by this effort and has initiated a program focused on Communities of Health (www.communitiesofhealth.org). The examples in this story are indeed inspiring but let's not get confused with what wellness requires---its about the individual behavior, genetics AND their environment. Are we ready to tackle this? A true response to the nation's health care needs requires this comprehensive view. Maria

Holiday Rush

Honestly I'm not down on Christmas, but...Is it necessary to have Christmas sales before Thanksgiving? 

Witness to History from a Red State

Mason, Ohio

Despite my plans to be home and sharing this historic moment with my family, I have witnessed the election of Barack Obama in a Red state.   In my hotel room last night, I cried and cheered. I called family and friends to say what we all said simultaneously: "this wasn't going to happen in our life times but it has".  I felt a sense of hope and relief. I celebrated that my 14 year old son would finally understand what true leadership looks like and that he might be spared from going to war in Iraq or Iran.  But this morning when I walked down the lobby of the hotel and exchanged my first set of hellos with staff, it has become clear this actually isn't a moment of celebration or victory everywhere.  One clerk remarked, "I'm just glad its over with" and another said, "Well, I guess we just have to wait and see what happens".  

It's not that I'm new to regional politics-- but what did feel so different for me is the level of disconnect I was having right there with the people I had been on good terms with the day before.  These two staff had smiled warmly and poured coffee on Monday.  They had seemed so welcoming as good hotel workers are trained to be.  So what happened?   Why this shift in attitude?  I didn't probe or try to strike up a conversation--they could have each just had a hard commute or a bad headache.

But I stepped away from my dinning table realizing that the shift of power is never easy.  Eight years ago and four years ago my demeanor on election night was one of disbelief and disappointment.   Those elections represented enormous defeat for me and because I was in California both times, I didn't feel so isolated or disconnected.  Californiands then all seemed to wake up from a collective nightmare and there was no point in talking about the future. Today, I am in the minority with my optimism and hopefulness here even if Ohio did turn Blue last night.  There's a legacy of views that won't shift in one night and perhaps should serve as a reminder the work of building community never ends.  Despite the sense of victory, president elect Obama has his work cut out for him to unify a nation and anyone who voted for him shares that obligation, too.