Dear Student Community,
It’s March and Women’s History and Empowerment month. As I sit to write this letter, I find my thoughts spinning in a million different directions and with a million different feelings. How do I grapple with the irony of celebrating the history of women’s achievements and empowerment while I watch the federal government dismantle women’s access to health care and supportive DEI initiatives? As a woman scientist and a mother, how do I carve out space to “move the needle in the right direction” while also still juggling the very real and constant day-to-day needs of my children? How do I prove the importance of our work to nay-sayers? In my conversations with colleagues and students I know I am not alone in having these thoughts and moments of mixed overwhelm, determination, joy, and grief, and I hope that in sharing my own struggles grappling with this moment in history, you also will not feel alone.
Last week I participated in the Stand Up for Science rally at UC Berkeley where I witnessed leaders in their fields, like Nobel Prize winner Dr. Jennifer Doudna and Berkeley Public Health’s own Emily Ozer, speak about the importance of scientific research and the global impact of our collective work and I felt powerful and joyful and hopeful in that moment. It also reminded me to reflect on the UC Berkeley Public Health mission and vision and to commit to continue to hold myself and our school to this promise we have made to our students and community.
And while I don’t have a perfect answer to how we move through this moment in time, I will leave you with this: strength can come in many different forms and public health practitioners are not new to facing adversity. We are tough, resourceful, and skilled at fighting an uphill battle. By choosing to dedicate yourselves to the work of public health you are demonstrating your strength. By investing in yourself and your education you are demonstrating your strength. By taking time to appreciate life and find joy (like participating in our upcoming Community Building Zoom social!) you are demonstrating your strength. Because, as the poet Toi Derricotte wrote, “joy is an act of resistance”. So, let’s take a collective breath as we start Spring 2 and find space for the joy and excitement of learning. And please know that we are here for you if you are struggling. Don’t hesitate to schedule an advising session with your program manager or faculty advisor.
In community,
Sarah Zyba
Faculty Lead of the Food, Nutrition, and Population Health Concentration
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