Happy New Year!
This time of year is so exciting. The air is full of energy, anticipation, and a feeling of newness.
It is a fresh start.
And as I look at my goals and dreams for 2023, I am inspired by this story —
This is the story of Kentucky’s All-State High School Choir and a 35-year-old tradition. Each year 600 of the best high school singers in Kentucky gather to practice and perform at the Louisville Convention Center. All 600 singers stay at the Hyatt Regency hotel. And for the past 35 years, the singers gather on the balconies of the hotel during their stay. They wave to each other. They yell. They make a lot of noise (so much so that the Hyatt passes out earplugs to the other guests).
But then…
There is a hum.
And the hum eventually turns into a pitch-perfect rendition of the national anthem (in an acoustically perfect setting).
It is magical to watch/listen to (be sure to watch the clip above).
I am struck by the change from a loud ruckus — where individual conversations and shouts can be heard, but not understood — to unity and beauty created by 600 voices of high schoolers from all walks of life singing together.
The news report ends with this reminder —
That we are not a nation of soloists, but a chorus of shared values, that when joined together, resonate like nothing the world has ever heard.
That is it.
That is my goal and dream for 2023.
It is my dream to create a world (ok, maybe just a small community, but it’s a start) in which we are not all soloists, who are loud, boastful, and oh-so-sure that being healthy is an individual choice.
Instead, I dream of a world where we come together as a chorus of shared values, that when joined together, create the healthiest communities that the world has ever known.
This video.
This story.
This song.
This moment.
When individuals come together as a chorus of shared values.
This is my dream for our health in 2023.
And while I do not have all the answers or a clear plan to create this chorus of shared values, I am prepared to take the first steps. I have a vision and a dream. And the sound of those high school singers is echoing in my head.
I invite you to join me as we create this chorus of shared (healthy) values, that when joined together, create the healthiest communities that the world has ever known.
To this end — I will continue to share weekly news summaries and important health information here. Be sure you are subscribed.
Additionally —
If you are local (near northwestern Pennsylvania) mark your calendars...
We will be celebrating National Public Health Week in big ways in Meadville.
To kick off our celebration, we will be hosting an Immunity Is Community health fair on April 1st (no joke). Be prepared for engaging presentations, lots of public health swag (think stickers, a comic book, and balloons by Magic Steve), and outreach from local health agencies and organizations.
And then on April 5, I will be giving a lecture at Allegheny College titled Putting the Public Back in Public Health. You don’t want to miss it (hoping there is a live stream or recording to share with those of you who cannot come to campus).
Additionally, I will be teaching a class at Allegheny this spring titled Creating Healthy Communities. I am informally calling it — the class everyone needs to take in order to understand why medicine alone will not make us healthy. All of my course materials will be shared online so that everyone can join us in learning.
And there will be more —
My goal is to educate and empower you
to be healthy and create healthy communities.
Together we can become that chorus of shared values, that when joined together, create the healthiest communities that the world has ever known.
Happy New Year! Here’s to creating healthy communities together in 2023…