- 14 hours ago
Category
🎈
FunTranscript
00:00A conversation urgent and deeply important. We're breaking down what's changing in health care policy.
00:08Joining the Global Black Economic Forum stage for a Declaration of Independence discussion, please welcome
00:15Shanley Sheehan, Senior Health Editor at U.S. News and World Report.
00:21Dr. Umamu Tomlinson, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at Vituity. Dr. Markita Willis, M.D., American Psychiatric Association.
00:34And Dr. Malicia Whit-Glover, Chief Executive Officer, the Council on Black Health.
00:53Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to our conversation, Health Care Under Attack, What You Need to Know.
01:01My name is Shanley Chen. I'm a Senior Editor of Health at U.S. News and World Report.
01:06And at U.S. News, our mission is to help our audiences of consumers and industry leaders alike make better
01:15choices
01:16and make better informed decisions, particularly around health care, for the people that it impacts.
01:23So I am very excited to be here with you all today to discuss this critical issue of health equity
01:29and access.
01:31In 2026, health care costs are climbing as federal subsidies end and Medicaid rollbacks take effect.
01:39In fact, newly released data shows that about 3 million fewer people were enrolled in health insurance coverage under the
01:47Affordable Care Act.
01:48And in fact, many of these changes disproportionately affect black and other underserved communities the hardest due to systemic economic
01:57disparities,
01:58forcing many to choose between life-sustaining medical costs and life-sustaining essentials like rent, utilities, groceries, and health and
02:08child care.
02:09As an Asian American, I recognize that these policy changes do not affect every population equally,
02:17which is why I want to be very clear about my role here today.
02:21I'm not here to speak on the communities, on the lived experiences.
02:26I'm here as an ally to help facilitate this incredibly important conversation
02:32and to ensure that we amplify the voices of black medical and public health leaders.
02:38So without further ado, I'd like to introduce our very distinguished panel.
02:43We have Dr. Moo Tomlinson, CEO of Vituity and president of the Vituity Cares Foundation,
02:50who directs major initiatives in emergency care delivery and health equity.
02:55Dr. Markita Wills, CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association,
03:01who leads national efforts to expand mental health care and access, as well as reducing barriers to care.
03:10And we have Dr. Malisha Witt-Glover, CEO of the Council on Black Health,
03:15whose research and advocacy focus directly on the structural and public health changes
03:21that shape daily life in black communities.
03:23Welcome, everybody.
03:29There's a famous saying that goes,
03:31when America catches a cold, the black community catches the flu.
03:34And right now, as major health insurance subsidies expire and coverage costs skyrocket,
03:41data shows that black households are being hit first and foremost.
03:45From your respective roles in emergency care, mental health, and public health,
03:51what does this current attack on health care look like on the ground
03:55for black and other underserved patients, families, and communities?
04:02Hey, everybody.
04:03How are you doing?
04:04Yeah.
04:05So I think the major part that I see in respect to what's happening now
04:10is that there's a lot of confusion.
04:12And I think when you have confusion when it's related to health care, that's a big problem.
04:16And people want to be empowered about how they care for their health,
04:20how they care for their families.
04:22And when you don't know where to go, what's the right place to care,
04:26what's the right place to get the screenings that I need,
04:29or what's the right place to be cared for in an emergency,
04:32that creates a chaos that is not good for our communities
04:35and not good for health care in general.
04:37So I think, you know, I'll start and explain more of what I think we can do to fix that.
04:41But I think right now it just seems like a really chaotic time.
04:48I'll echo that I agree.
04:49And I think the confusion, a lot of the reason that people are losing coverage
04:53is because of paperwork.
04:55And so when people are confused about how to make sure that they have access to care,
04:59that also creates chaos.
05:00And there are lots of people that are eligible,
05:02but they lose access because they don't understand the system.
05:06And so I agree with you.
05:07And I think we're going to talk a little bit more about how we can make sure
05:10that people understand how to access care,
05:12how to make sure they know what their benefits are,
05:14and then how to make sure that they're taking advantage of those.
05:17Yeah, and with H.R. 1, which was also known as the big, beautiful bill,
05:24Medicaid got cut.
05:26And as we know, many of the mental health benefits are paid for by Medicaid.
05:33It's the largest payer of benefits for mental health and substance abuse treatment.
05:39And so that's a big concern for us,
05:42and certainly a concern for communities of color.
05:45As you said, America gets the cold,
05:48the communities of color get the flu.
05:51We are very concerned and bracing for a crisis within a crisis on mental health
05:58because of some of these cuts.
06:02Absolutely.
06:03And as we're talking about a lot of those cuts
06:05and really the financial reality of how losing coverage can affect families,
06:10so if someone in this room gets hit or their loved one gets hit
06:13with an unexpected premium hike or coverage cancellation this year,
06:19what are the exact actionable steps that they can take
06:24to navigate the system without going into medical debt?
06:29I would say the number one theme for me in this problem and others is patient agency.
06:35And I'll describe what I mean by that.
06:36All of you out there have the ability to take ownership of your care.
06:40So I get it, right?
06:42Premiums, what premiums, what paperwork do you have to fill out?
06:44But the first step is to ask questions.
06:47The first step is to be disagreeable and challenge not just your physician
06:51or your primary care provider,
06:54but you need to challenge your insurer.
06:56You need to say, if that's not covered, why?
06:58What else can I do to get the care and the coverage that I need?
07:02So the other thing I'd say is look for alternative ways
07:04to engage in the health care system.
07:07We have so many opportunities now with telemodels and other models
07:11to get engaged in the health care system
07:13that is not just with the traditional models that we've had in the past.
07:17So be disruptive.
07:18Go try to pursue your health care in other ways
07:21and also ask questions.
07:23Be disagreeable.
07:23And there are places within our health care system
07:27where folks can find care even if they don't have insurance.
07:33So there are clinics.
07:37There are clinics such as federally qualified health centers
07:42who take folks regardless of insurance status.
07:45So if you or a church member, a loved one, find yourselves in that situation,
07:52remember there are places where you can still go get your preventive care.
07:56And what I would say is, in addition to what you all are saying,
08:00is for those of us that understand how to navigate these systems,
08:03we need to help other people in our communities.
08:05And so if there's a federally qualified health center or another clinic
08:09or ways to access paperwork,
08:11one of the things that we do in the Council on Black Health
08:14is we train people who help navigate, help others navigate,
08:18what we call trusted navigators,
08:19people in communities who understand how to navigate systems.
08:23Because if I'm a part of the community,
08:25if I know how to navigate something,
08:26then everybody around me should also know how to navigate that.
08:29And by us working together,
08:30that's how we can make sure that people stay covered.
08:32It's already an extremely confusing landscape already,
08:36the health care system.
08:37So being able to navigate it is actually a very critical part
08:41of advocating for your own health
08:44and making sure that you're getting the right health care in the first place.
08:48But even before then,
08:49I know a lot of health and medicine experts
08:51really emphasize the importance of prevention,
08:54whether it's getting your annual checkup
08:57or going for screenings before medical issues worsen.
09:01But taking preventative measures can inherently be challenging
09:05when there are already systemic barriers,
09:08including access to care and healthy food,
09:10that make going to see a doctor
09:12and even just living a healthy lifestyle very challenging already.
09:17So Dr. Whit Glover, you know,
09:19the Council on Black Health focuses very deeply
09:22on the structural issues like food access
09:25and community disinvestment
09:26that impact the well-being of black neighborhoods.
09:31With these new federal laws cutting back on health care access
09:34and disproportionately affecting black communities,
09:37what preventative measures can families take
09:40to prioritize their wellness before these issues come up?
09:45What are your three pro tips?
09:47So I think the three main ones are the ones that we always hear about.
09:51So healthy eating, moving your body, and then controlling stress.
09:56One of the things that we've been focusing on at the Council on Black Health
09:58is understanding our goal is to achieve optimal health in black communities.
10:03And when we ask people what that looks like,
10:06it is joy, it is contentment, it is those kinds of things.
10:10And when we ask people what's preventing us from being there,
10:13the number one thing is us being connected to each other.
10:16So when you think about financial wellness,
10:19when you think about emotional wellness,
10:20when you think about physical wellness,
10:21it is us being connected to each other as communities
10:24that can help us to be healthier.
10:27So when you think about stress reduction,
10:30us being connected to people who are like-minded being in community,
10:34that's going to reduce stress.
10:35So that's going to improve health.
10:37When you think about things like exercising, physical activity,
10:40us being outside and being connected with people in our communities
10:44and our neighborhoods, that's when we're moving our bodies.
10:46It's not just, you know, going to the gym and punishing ourselves.
10:49It's that natural joy being connected to each other.
10:53And the same thing with food.
10:55I think eating healthy foods, eating whole foods,
10:58buying from our communities, buying from,
11:00I shop a lot at farmer's markets now,
11:02but those kinds of things will help us to be able to achieve the care,
11:08health before we have to go to the doctor's office.
11:11And building on what the good doctor said,
11:13there's actually a relatively new field of medicine called lifestyle medicine.
11:18And the three pillars that the doctor mentioned,
11:23healthy eating, stress management, are absolutely important.
11:29There are a couple more as well.
11:31Sleep.
11:32Getting six to eight hours of sleep every night is critical.
11:36People don't prioritize sleep enough.
11:38But our brains need to rest in order to be optimized
11:42and in order for us to be our best selves
11:44for what we have to face for the next day.
11:46So sleep is absolutely important.
11:49Cutting down on risky substances.
11:51If folks smoke, quit.
11:53I mean, that's just one of the most important preventative things.
11:57If folks smoke cigarettes or inhaling anything,
12:01whether it's vaping, which hasn't been studied,
12:04whether it's marijuana,
12:08the smoke in and of itself is not healthy for us,
12:11and we need to quit that.
12:14And then last but not least is, believe it or not,
12:19it ties in with stress management, healthy connections.
12:24And so the healthy connections that we have with our family,
12:27and notice I said healthy.
12:29There are some connections that we have with other people that drain us.
12:35And it's a chronic drain because we aren't getting along with somebody.
12:40Learning to love folks from a distance is important.
12:43And all of those things, all of those six things,
12:46the three that she discussed, the three that I discussed,
12:48are the pillars of lifestyle medicine.
12:50And I personally like to add a seventh.
12:53And my seventh is how we interact with our world,
12:57how we interact with the globe, putting our feet in dirt.
13:01I know it sounds silly, but hugging a tree, getting outside,
13:05being a part of nature, that's also part of wellness.
13:08We're part of a global ecosystem.
13:10We interact with the planet around us.
13:13And so being intentional about that is important as well.
13:17Yeah, I would just, I agree with all of those.
13:20And I'm listening to you, and I'm thinking about how many things that I'm guilty of.
13:24And three physicians up here in some ways can sound like we're telling y'all,
13:29you know, sort of what to do.
13:31So I want to give y'all a little grace in this,
13:33and all of these things that you're supposed to do.
13:36It's okay to falter.
13:38Clearly, I am faltering.
13:39And so it's okay to falter a little bit, but ultimately you want to get to point Z.
13:45But it's okay to struggle a little bit.
13:47We struggle with it, you know, different aspects of it,
13:50and you are going to struggle with it.
13:51So it doesn't have to be that you snap your fingers and all of a sudden you're 100% healthy.
13:56It's going to be fits and starts, and that's okay.
13:58And we're here to support you along the way.
14:02So I'm going to ask all three of you a question that I didn't include in our preparation questions.
14:09Personally, what is the number one thing that you have done or adopted
14:14to prevent and ensure that you live a healthy lifestyle?
14:18What is your number one lifestyle habit that you personally adopted?
14:21My number one, I can say this unequivocally, it has transformed my life.
14:27And that has been yoga and meditation.
14:30That has just actually transformed my life in every aspect.
14:36It allows me to be, as Dr. Tomlinson said, more sick to these things that we're saying more.
14:44You can tell that I don't miss meals either.
14:48But portion control has been important, and that mindful eating, mindful interactions
14:54has just been a lifesaver for me in terms of balancing work and home responsibilities.
15:01So for me, it's yoga and meditation.
15:03I wish we had more time and we're wearing appropriate clothes to have you lead us through a yoga session.
15:10I'm going to give you two.
15:12One is I started drinking water.
15:14I used to go all day and never drink anything.
15:17Look at you opening the water.
15:18But I started drinking water.
15:19The second thing is I'm really highlighting the social connection and being connected with people.
15:25I want to give a shout-out to a group in North Carolina called Let's Get Social Raleigh,
15:30which has done phenomenal work to connect adults with other adults so that we are not isolated and being alone.
15:37And that, by itself, lowers stress, lowers cortisol, gives you a healthier outlook.
15:42And that has gotten me out of my house.
15:44So drinking water but not minding my business.
15:48Drinking water and then being out with other people.
15:50Those are two really good ones.
15:52I was hoping that you would skip to the next question.
15:56I struggle with sleep.
15:57I don't, you know, sleep is a struggle for me, to be honest.
16:00But what I try to do is I try to do something active every day.
16:04I try to be active.
16:05And I think where I fall in the trap is I want it structured, like, oh, let's go and, you
16:09know, run three miles or let's go and lift these weights.
16:13But what I've found is that when I'm active, when I do things even for a short period of time,
16:17I feel better.
16:18And ultimately it's easier to, you know, to manage my weight and blood pressure and all those things.
16:22And all of these things add up to living a healthier lifestyle and making sure that you don't have chronic
16:30health issues later on down the line.
16:32It's a lot of preventative steps, but it's so good for your mental health as well.
16:36So talking about mental health, obviously that's our next topic here.
16:41When people lose coverage or face uncertainty or even just, as you were saying, navigating the health care system, which
16:48is very confusing,
16:49there's a lot of stress and anxiety that goes with that entire process.
16:54So, Dr. Wills, as the CEO of the American Psychiatric Association, you've spoken out about how many in the black
17:02community carry very unique layers of stress and trauma.
17:07Yet mental health care is often the first thing that's sacrificed when affordable and equitable access becomes even more challenging
17:15and limited.
17:16So what can people in this room do to protect their mental health right now?
17:22And how can they find culturally competent care that truly understands them and allows them to feel seen and heard?
17:34Great question, and thank you for the opportunity to chat with folks about that.
17:39Mental health is truly our gift to ourselves to unlock wellness in all other aspects of our life, whether that
17:50be our vocation, our finances, our spirituality, our physical health.
17:56We need our mental health to be optimized in order to be our best selves.
18:02And in order to do that, to me, one of the most important things that people can do if they
18:09don't want to go get formal treatment truly is exercising.
18:16Exercising is the number one thing, and I'm not talking, you know, you don't have to run a marathon.
18:21It can be a 30-minute brisk walk, 30 minutes of putting on music in your house and dancing, you
18:30know, 30 minutes of going to a pool and walking.
18:33I know I do that a lot.
18:34I go to my community pool center.
18:36I don't want to get my hair wet, but I walk in the water, and that helps me stay active
18:42and fit.
18:43So the number one, because when we do release, I mean, when we do exercise, our brain releases endorphins, and
18:52those endorphins are happy juices that keep our mental health going.
18:57So people underestimate how inextricably tied our physical health is to our mental health, but exercise, for me, is the
19:05number one thing that we can do to improve our mental health.
19:09Now, look, we all get stressed, we all get sad, but how do we know when things move from being
19:15anxious, because I'm walking on a stage talking to these illustrious folks that I'm with today, versus having an anxiety
19:24disorder, or being sad versus being clinically depressed.
19:28And the first couple places that I think people should go, if someone is having challenges, if you're noticing that
19:37loved ones are having challenges, number one, your primary care physician, that's probably the best portal of entry, if you
19:46will, into accessing mental health care, should you need more than sort of everyday community supports that we all enjoy.
19:54And number two, church, church is a great place to go to your pastor, or your deacons and deaconesses, to
20:03talk about what's going on with you, and they oftentimes can navigate you to therapists, or higher levels of care
20:12if they're required.
20:14So, that would be the way that I would begin to access care for mental health services, if I needed
20:21it.
20:21You know, I think that really brings up an interesting topic, because I feel as though I would be very
20:27remiss if I didn't bring up AI and health.
20:31So, I'm going to turn to everybody in this audience right now and see how many of y'all actually
20:39have used ChatGPT or some other AI to ask questions about their health.
20:45I know I have. I literally did it this morning.
20:49So, let's talk about the role of AI in healthcare, whether it's mental health, emergency care, or public health, because
20:57it is starting to help bridge certain gaps, huge gaps in healthcare, especially getting good healthcare information and navigating the
21:06healthcare system.
21:07But it's still a very much emerging technology. So, there's a double-edged sword. So, from your respective backgrounds and
21:15experiences, I'd love to learn more about what role AI plays and how people should use it to navigate their
21:25care.
21:27So, I'm going to compete with the auction going on over here.
21:32You know, I think for me, AI is important for us to dive into. I would encourage everybody to dive
21:39into it, to participate in it, because you can't understand it if you don't participate in it.
21:44I know a lot of people say, hey, it's not fully loaded. Hey, it's not something that's good for black
21:48folks. I get that. But if you don't know what it is, you're even at a greater disadvantage.
21:53And I would say this. How many of you trust your doctor empirically? Some of you, right? Challenge your doctor
22:02and make sure that you hold them accountable.
22:05But we also have to hold the AI accountable. Don't just trust it empirically. Understand that it is another source
22:12of data, but hold it to the same level of accountability that you hold anybody you talk to about your
22:18healthcare.
22:18Ultimately, you are in charge. This is another tool, but the decisions that you are going to make are based
22:24on you looking at all that data, hopefully with someone like us facilitating that conversation, and then making a prudent
22:31decision based on the outcomes you want.
22:33How damaging is it to trust AI without asking or pushing back on it? What are some of the implications
22:42of just trusting it blindly?
22:44Say that again.
22:45What are some of the implications of trusting AI blindly without asking questions?
22:49Yeah, I think trusting me blindly is bad. You know, I mean, I think you don't want to trust anything
22:56blindly. You want to interrogate it. You want to make sure that it makes sense. You want to double check
23:01it. You know, go to your doctor and say, hey, ChatGPT told me to do X. Is that right?
23:07Right. I think you want to make sure that you always don't just take it for face value and really
23:13put some scrutiny behind the information you're getting.
23:16At the APA, instead of calling AI artificial intelligence, we use the term augmented intelligence. I get the question asked
23:26of me all the time, Doc, do you think that AI is ultimately going to replace therapists, social workers, psychiatrists,
23:36those who deliver mental health care?
23:37Because people right now are already using ChatGPT for psychotherapy, so-called psychotherapy. And my answer to that is, I
23:47don't think that AI is going to replace clinicians, but I do think that clinicians who use AI are going
23:55to replace clinicians who don't.
23:57And so it's important that clinicians get comfortable with AI so that they can understand it and share with their
24:04clients, with their patients, the good ways to use it.
24:08As the good doctor said, how to test it, when to interrogate it again, repeatedly, how to interrogate it again.
24:16So I know at the APA, we're actually developing tools to help people understand how to use AI.
24:22I will say this unequivocally. Right now, this is still an emerging technology. It is not ready for solo use
24:31on prime time. I'll say it again.
24:33AI is not ready for prime time on solo use without some type of clinician oversight.
24:40And I think all of us in our respective roles are using this time right now to really help define,
24:47from a medical perspective,
24:49when to use AI, what those guardrails are, what those barriers should be.
24:55But it's something that we're all going to have to contend with. And I agree with Moo here.
24:59Dr. Moo, we got to get in there and use it so that we can influence it and make sure
25:05that the models that sit behind it
25:08are not biased against those people who look like us.
25:13And I think it's, if you think about having a toolbox, you don't just have one tool in your toolbox.
25:19You have a hammer, you have a screwdriver, you have, that's the extent of my tool knowledge, so I'm going
25:23to stop.
25:24But you can use AI like a tool. And so if you think about it from the perspective of health
25:28care,
25:29no, it shouldn't replace your physician, but it can do things like, it can help you to understand
25:34which questions you should ask when you go in so that you have your list of questions,
25:37so you get everything answered. If you get information from your provider, you can use chat GPT or AI.
25:45You can use that to help break down and maybe explain things in ways that help you to understand it
25:50if you don't necessarily understand things. And that can help.
25:52I think it can help to strengthen the conversations with your providers.
25:56Just a shameless plug. If you guys want to experience what an AI sort of pre-physician can look like,
26:03you go to that back corner, we have an AI pre-physician tool that can help you ask your questions
26:09to your doctor.
26:10It's not a doctor, but it'll give you the framework to do that.
26:13So you can experiment here and see what that looks like if you're sort of nervous about trying it.
26:18So on that note, I feel like, you know, people here are a lot more inclined to trust AI than
26:26their doctors,
26:27especially when there's a lot of medical mistrust historically and systemically.
26:32So since you were just talking about that, Dr. Tomlinson, when a patient walked into an ER or a clinic
26:38in today's very high-stress environment, how can people advocate for themselves, for their health,
26:46to really ensure that their voices are heard and to make sure that they can trust their doctors and vice
26:51versa?
26:52Yeah, so I talk about, there's two words here, advocacy, which I think you're an advocate
26:58when you try to empower yourself or those you're in charge of their care.
27:02You say, I want the best for me.
27:04I like the word agency.
27:06Agency means that I am advocating for myself, but I'm using data and information and tools
27:12to double-check the people that are trying to help me.
27:15So I would say, when you go to the ER, and as challenging as it may be sometimes to work
27:20in that environment,
27:21come with your chat GPT explanation.
27:24Come with the tools.
27:25Bring the medical books with you and say, I was reading about this, sir, and I think I have this.
27:32And now that conversation is at a higher level than when you just walk in the room and say,
27:37doctor, please tell me what's wrong with me.
27:39So I would encourage agency, go out there, get the information.
27:42There was a time where, as a physician, I would give you all knowledge about yourself
27:48and about the care you're receiving.
27:50Now I'm your partner.
27:52Now I'm your facilitator.
27:53I'm helping you navigate.
27:55It's not just knowledge-based.
27:56So I would say, go out there, bring every piece of data you can to the doctor and say,
28:01hey, with this information, what more can you tell me about the condition I'm dealing with?
28:06So it really sounds like once you bring chat GPT into that conversation with your doctor,
28:11you can really challenge them in real time and have that conversation.
28:15Absolutely, and that's okay.
28:16I think all of us, we're excited about that conversation.
28:20It's no longer just about, okay, I'm going to tell you what to do and maybe you do it.
28:24Now you're engaged and empowered, and we see that the patients that are engaged and empowered,
28:29they follow through.
28:32Dr. Wicklover, I feel like there was something that you wanted to add to that as well.
28:38So let's talk about health as an act of resistance, you know, especially in the black culture,
28:44and the legendary writer Audre Lorde had famously written, caring for myself is not self-indulgence,
28:52it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.
28:56So for a community that has historically been neglected and ignored and exploited by institutions,
29:03choosing to prioritize your own health is almost an extraordinarily revolutionary act in and of itself.
29:12So with the health care system being harder to navigate because of how complex and confusing it is,
29:20how do you hope people in this room can prioritize their self-care,
29:25whether it's through preventative measures or through their community?
29:30As we approach this, how should they, what should they do to ensure that they are self-caring for themselves?
29:40Putting your health first really is an act of saying, I matter, I have value,
29:50I take up space on this earth, and I need to be my best self, because while I'm on this
29:58earth,
29:58I am going to contribute.
30:00And pouring into yourself in that way, with exercise, with good sleep,
30:08by avoiding risky substances, by going and getting your checkups,
30:12in some ways, in some ways is also a form of worship for those who believe.
30:19It is saying, I am going to take care of the temple that was gifted to me
30:24while I'm doing this journey on earth.
30:28And so that, just the belief that you, you, you, you, you are the most important person,
30:38that you have to protect yourself,
30:40that is a deep form of resistance.
30:43Again, in the face of people that say oftentimes that people who look like us don't matter.
30:49But taking that to its final degree, pouring into yourself,
30:54so that then you can pour into others with your gifts and talents from your overflow,
30:58is critically important.
31:00And so, I love that question.
31:02How is health tied to resistance?
31:04How is health tied to ensuring that we, as a people, are empowered?
31:09It starts with ourselves, and then we operate from our overflow into our families,
31:16into our churches, into our communities.
31:20So that's how I'd answer that question.
31:21I love that.
31:22And I would say, we have to believe that we deserve, that we deserve it.
31:27We have been surviving for a long time.
31:29We know how to survive.
31:30We have to believe that we deserve to thrive.
31:32And that's what I think that looks like, that resistance is us thriving and not just getting by,
31:38but living our full lives and being the happiest and healthiest we can be.
31:44And once we believe we deserve it, then it becomes less of resistance and more of this is what we're
31:49doing,
31:49because this is what we deserve.
31:51Yeah, Lassa, I would say just make goals.
31:54Make it real.
31:55Just make goals.
31:55You don't, you know, again, you're going to start, you're going to stop.
31:58Make goals, monthly, weekly, yearly goals, and keep your, hold yourself to account.
32:05So as we wrap up, because I know we're about at that time,
32:09what is your call to action for everybody in this room to really harness and mobilize their collective power
32:17to advocate for themselves, to empower themselves,
32:21and to have that agency to affect change for themselves, their own health,
32:25as well as for the people in their community?
32:30I would say just, again, I'll repeat, be repetitive.
32:33Take control of that interaction.
32:36Whenever you interact with health in any way, shape, or form,
32:39it could be the doctor's office, it could be the yoga that you're going to get.
32:45I think you just have to make sure that you take ownership of it and control of it.
32:49Don't let anybody tell you what to do.
32:51Work with them to figure out what to do together.
32:55And I'm a little biased, of course, being a mental health professional,
32:59but I believe that protecting one's health really starts with protecting one's peace.
33:05Protecting your peace against all the drama, ups and downs that come with life.
33:12Making sure that you maintain an appropriate distance and perspective from that
33:17so that you can then do everything you need to do to take care of yourselves
33:21and your loved ones who are immediately around you.
33:25Whether that means finding a few quiet moments to listen to your favorite song.
33:29Whether that means going walking with a friend.
33:32For me, it's finding that quiet solitude on the yoga mat.
33:37Whatever that is for you.
33:39Protect your peace and be vigilant about it.
33:44And I would, similarly, I would say stay connected.
33:47Make authentic connections with people.
33:50Because together, we can survive and we can be healthier.
33:54We can thrive.
33:55But I've heard somebody say it's going to take all of us to save us.
33:59We have to be connected with each other and be in community with each other
34:03so that we can all rise together.
34:05Well, Dr. Wicklover, Dr. Wills, Dr. Tomlinson,
34:08thank you so much for sharing your insights.
34:11Before we wrap up, is there anything else you want to say?
34:14Something that you want people to walk away?
34:17No, I just said thank you for the opportunity to speak to everybody.
34:21And I think we have some good messages and values here that they can take forward.
34:26No health without mental health.
34:29Stay connected to each other.
34:30Thank you so much.
34:32Thank you, everybody.
Comments