Alums on the Front Lines
Our alums are always on the front lines of nature, economic equity and social justice, changing conversations world wide with their books, articles, and other creative projects. During this time of coronavirus pandemic, we’re so proud to see many of our alums changing conversations in relevant areas right now. These are just a few of the many contributions being made. You can find out more about what our alums are doing on Our Library page.
Healthcare and End-of-Life Issues
Rupa Marya, MD (resident 2020) — Rupa teaches hospital medicine at UCSF and is working on book with Raj Patel about decolonizing medicine for healthcare that serves all. She has been quoted in two April San Francisco Chronicle articles about the dangers of coronavirus in the homeless population (April 10 and April 29).
Sharon Lerner (fellow 2020) — Sharon is a reporter at the Intercept, writing about environment and health. She’s currently writing articles about COVID-19 including: Trump Urges Doctors to Lie on Live TV, Federal Official Says He was Fired for Limiting Use of Hydroxychloroquine
Sunita Puri, MD (fellow 2017) — Sunita wrote a March opinion piece published in the New York Times called It’s Time to Talk about Death.
Racial Justice and Xenophobia
Heather McGhee (fellow 2017) — Heather is an American political commentator and strategist, currently a distinguished senior fellow and former president of Demos. She was interviewed on ACT.tv in April about Race & Racism: During the COVID-19 Crisis.
Ai-jen Poo (fellow 2017) — Ai-Jen founded the National Domestic Workers Alliance. She’s been busy, writing this April article for Time magazine, “Domestic Workers Take Care of Us. Now, It’s Time for Us to Take Care of Them;” a March opinion piece in the New York Times, “Protect Workers from Coronavirus;” and an April interview with Mesa Refuge Alum Krista Tippett on the On Being Project.
Cristina Jiménez (fellow 2019) — Cristina is executive director of United We Dream, an immigration advocacy group that also focuses on Latino voters. She’s been vocal about how the pandemic has exposed the lack of a safety net and is disproportionately affecting Latinos, and is quoted in this April New York Times article.
Bonnie Tsui (resident 2010) has been busy writing pieces about the fact that the coronavirus has exposed a contagion of xenophobia, including this March San Francisco Chronicle piece and this April New York Times piece.
Saket Soni (fellow 2019) — Saket is a labor organizer and human rights strategist with a focus on racial and social justice. He is founder and director of Resilience Force, a national initiative to transform America’s response to natural disasters by strengthening and securing America’s resilience workforce.
Income Inequality and Economics
Moshe Marvit (resident 2020) — Moshe is a labor and civil-rights attorney and is the co-author of Why Labor Organizing Should Be a Civil Right: Rebuilding a Middle-Class Democracy by Enhancing Worker Voice. He has been volunteering legal services to help workers who have become unemployed and are struggling due to the pandemic.
Christopher Cook– (fellow 2017) — Christopher is is an award-winning journalist and author of Diet for a Dead Planet: Big Business and the Coming Food Crisis. He wrote this April article on the Common Dreams website about COVID-19 and the economic stabilization package’s implications: Where’s the Money for Healthcare & Saving the Planet? Well, We Clearly Have It.
Bob Friedman (fellow 2017) — Bob is author of A Few Thousand Dollars, a prescient book outlining the fact that the majority of Americans do not have a few thousand dollars to weather an unexpected illness, job loss, accident, or pandemic — and what to do about that.
The Pandemic Lifestyle
Susan Ito (Mesa Refuge board member) — Susan wrote a beautiful article about Becoming A Grandmother During the Pandemic on May McSweeney’s website article.
Christian McEwen (resident 2016) — Christian’s work about creativity and slowing down is more useful now than ever.