EM Cultural Updates

Social Capital and Compounding Interest -What MLK Day Means to Me

By Dr. John E. Lewis, Jr.

The year 1965 (the year prior, Martin Luther King, Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize). That same year, a young Morehouse College graduate reluctantly hands his new diploma over to his uncle to have it autographed by the commencement speaker, an alumnus of the college.

The month was June, and later that month, the above speaker served as the commencement speaker for Oberlin College. He entitles his address, "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution."

The speaker's words seem prescient within this address, which would not be the last time such prophetic oration is heard. To quote:

"The challenge before us today is to develop a coalition of conscience and get rid of this problem that has been one of the nagging and agonizing ills of our nation over the years. Racial injustice is still the Negro's [archaic] burden and America's shame. We've made strides, to be sure. We have come a long, long way since the Negro was first brought to this nation as a slave in 1619. In the last decade, we have seen significant developments - the Supreme Court's decision outlawing segregation in the public schools, a comprehensive Civil Rights Bill in 1964, and, in a few weeks, a new voting bill to guarantee the right to vote. All of these are significant developments, but I would be dishonest with you this morning if I gave you the impression that we have come to the point where the problem is almost solved."

August 6, 1965, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law with the commencement speaker in attendance at the ceremony. The following year, 1966, our speaker, who you now realize is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, addresses physicians at the Medical Committee for Human Rights annual meeting. He is quoted as saying:

"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhuman."

This history leads me to today. I think about all the images and words of Dr. King that infused my home and my childhood.

I think about a signature on a diploma that led me to that very same institution, Morehouse College. I think about the racial and social justice revolution that I witnessed again flowing into the streets in 2021. I think about voting rights so hard fought for yesterday, so easily lost today. I think about 2017. That year I acted on my realization that "of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health" is the deadliest and needs to be eradicated it at its root. Thus, I returned to the "red hills of Georgia" to begin that work.

So today, as I reflect on how to remain awake in this great and ongoing revolution, I ponder what has been invested. I remember what has been sacrificed and what has been gained. I sometimes mourn what has been lost. I reinvest my gains in my children and the next generation, knowing just as my father did, just as his uncle did, just as Martin did, and so many before him... Our investment will compound over time, but only if we are willing to make the sacrifice.

Happy MLK Day,
John E. Lewis, Jr, MD, MS, FACEP
Assistant Professor

“On some positions, cowardice asks the question, is it expedient? And then expedience comes along and asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? Conscience asks the question, is it right?” -MLK, Jr. 1968, Washington, DC

International Holocaust Remembrance Day
By Dr. Douglas Ander

Considering the appalling attack on the US Capitol and our democracy, the International Holocaust Remembrance Day is more relevant. A building which houses the soul of our democracy was desecrated, including by some individuals displaying neo-Nazi, antisemitic, and white supremacist symbols, several of which glorified the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel, said many years ago, “We must remember for our own sake, for the sake of our own humanity.” Those words resonate even more powerfully today.

In 2005, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to designate January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day (IHRD). The date marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau a concentration and extermination camp. The purpose of the IHRD is two-fold: to commemorate victims of the Nazi regime and to support the development of educational programs. These programs aim to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and to prevent further genocide. It also rejects any form of Holocaust denial. Drawing from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the resolution condemns all forms of “religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief”.

Historical Background

The Holocaust was the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazis as part of the "Final Solution." During the era of the Holocaust, German authorities also persecuted other groups which included Roma ("Gypsies"), people with disabilities, some of the Slavic peoples (Poles, Russians, and others), Soviet prisoners of war, and Black people. German authorities persecuted other groups on political, ideological, and behavioral grounds. Among them were Communists, Socialists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and homosexuals.

Reference: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/international-holocaust-remembrance-day 

Personal reflections

The Holocaust is deeply embedded in my family history. Most of my Mother’s relatives including her grandparents and cousins were killed by the Nazis. Holocaust remembrance days (several exist) preserve my family history and the greater tragedy in order to inform the next generation stating, “never again.”

My Mother, due to good fortune and her resourceful parents, was able to survive the Holocaust. My Grandparents and their infant daughter were living in Paris at the start of the war. With the Nazi occupation of France all options to emigrant were shut down. It was already common knowledge that if caught by the Nazis, a concentration camp and death was certain. They spent several years hiding in the French countryside. For a period, a Christian family “adopted” my mother as their “grandchild.” They took her in as their own and protected her despite knowing that if caught they would be killed as well. After the war they returned to Paris, secured visas, and raised enough money to make safe passage to America. They made Brooklyn home and lived into their 90s. My grandparent’s survival is attributed to wisdom, luck, and the kindness of strangers.

They were one of the few from their close relatives to survive and the scars run deep in our family’s history. This can be felt in this memorial written by my Grand-Uncle, the only other relative in that family line to survive.

“With pain/suffering and anguish, I memorialize my dear parents and my whole family, which were murdered by the Nazi Beasts, may their names be erased. My father: Shlomo Emnuel Lisopravsky, My mother: Kreindl Lisopravsky, My brothers: Meir-Aharon with his wife and children, Rueven with his wife and children, Pinchas with his wife and children and my sisters: Reizel Hendl and Chaya Mindl. God will avenge their blood and their memories will be a blessing!

Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)
By Dr. Eliot Blum

I wanted to write this cultural update specifically because it hits very close to home. Yom HaShoah has always been important in my family because three out of my four grandparents were Holocaust survivors.  Growing up around them taught me many things, but most importantly to stay strong in the face of adversity and never give up, to always respect others (no matter what differences you may see), be of service when possible, and to remember the past and the stories of our ancestors. 

I would like to share the stories of my grandparents. My maternal grandparents were both born in Germany and during their youth the Nazis occupation began. Things started getting violent for the Jews (and many others who were "different" or not considered "Germans" by the Nazis) around 1938. After Kirstallnacht (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristallnacht), my great Uncle befriended an Italian officer who risked his life in order to help my family escape. He was able to secure a spot for them on the last boat leaving for Shanghai. At the time, China was under Japanese occupation and they were one of the few countries accepting Jewish immigrants. My grandparents met on the long journey and were married soon after in China. They lived in the Jewish ghetto in Shanghai until 1946 when they immigrated to Chicago and gave birth to my mother a year later. They arrived to Chicago with only the clothes on their back; my grandmother worked as a manicurist and my grandfather sang opera in night clubs and hotels. 

My paternal grandfather escaped Czechoslovakia in 1939 and came straight to Chicago. His story is a bit different as he joined the American Army in 1942 and served until 1945. Because of his Eastern European heritage, he joined a secret unit called the "Ritchie Boys" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritchie_Boys) that were trained in espionage and frontline interrogation due to their knowledge of the German language and culture. When he returned from the war, he married my grandmother and my father was born a year later.  My grandfather ended up using the money he earned from the Army (and working other small odd jobs) to purchase a small drug store on the southside of Chicago.  

These stories are so powerful for me and it is hard for me to even comprehend going through that experience. I am so grateful for their struggles and proud to be alive today to carry on their story. We are all human beings. Everybody has their own internal and external struggles and although we sometimes feel like we are alone (or unique), the person next to you may have trudged a similar path to battle adversity - so be kind to each other, help one another and look for commonalities with your peers instead of differences. If we all followed this simple advice, the world would be a better place.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/04/22/a-proclamation-on-days-of-remembrance-of-victims-of-the-holocaust-2022/

International Women’s Day
By Nichelle Jackson, Advanced Practice Provider

Here’s a little history on how this global celebration began: 

It was during 1908, there was an ongoing critical debate amongst women regarding their oppression and inequality. The campaign for change started to become more vocal when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter work hours, better pay, and voting rights. In 1909, the first Women's Day was observed across the United States. In 1910, the International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. That's where the idea was proposed by Clara Zetkin, a leader of the Women's Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany. In 1911, International Women's Day was honored for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. Between 1913 and 1914, women in Russia observed their first Women's Day on February 23. Later, it was decided that March 8 will be the globally accepted day to celebrate IWD. International Women's Day was celebrated for the first time by the United Nations in 1975.

International Women’s day globally celebrates the achievements of women and raises awareness for gender equality.  Over the years, women have confronted gendered restrictions by breaking barriers and building bridges. However, women continue to battle with the constraints of gender inequality. For this reason, this year’s theme is centered on challenging these biases. When we voice our concerns this brings change. With change establishes growth, inclusivity, and unity. For example, when one woman challenged against sexual harassment and sexual abuse in the workplace, this later developed the Me Too Movement. This movement enabled millions of women to break their silence exposing widespread sexual assault in the workplace.  So do not be afraid to speak up and choose to challenge! 

Due to the constraints for the pandemic, many celebrations are virtual. To show your support of this day, we all should choose a ‘challenge’ to bring the change via emails, social media, or vblogs etc... The hashtags for this year are #ChooseToChallenge and #IWD2021. You can also wear one of the three designated colors for IWD. The three colors are purple, green and white. Purple signifies justice and dignity, green symbolizes hope, and white represents purity. 

Here is a Powerful #ChoosetoChallenge video: https://youtu.be/pHdNkpT954U 

Happy International Women’s Day everyone!