This morning, on my commute to work in Long Beach via the blue line, a young girl came up to me selling chocolates. Her voice was quiet and gentle but I figured it was too early for M&Ms and politely said no thank you. The entire time at work I could not stop thinking about this child and wrestled with my decision to say no to her. When I returned to the bus station after my work day, Im shocked to see the young girl again, sitting on the bench, with sweat on her forehead and an exhausted expression on her face. I sit next to her and without hesitating I ask her if shes still selling chocolate and tell her Ill buy all she has left, which wasnt much. Her face lit up and she perplexingly asked how I remembered her. We end up chatting and what she disclosed to me in the moments that followed was utterly astounding. This child, only 2 years younger than my little sister sells candy on the blue train for the summer as a way to help pay for her tias operation. Her aunt has no health insurance (either cannot afford it or is not eligible due to her citizenship status). During our brief conversation at the bus station I held back tears upon listening to her candidly speak about her daily routine and she asked me what middle school was like before the bus arrived. I wanted to hug this tired, brave young person. The reason I do what I do, is for families and individuals like the ones I met today in broken and unjust situations. I will hustle and promote, educate myself, become competent, stretch myself, do whatever I must do in order to advance the theory and practice of health equity. Universal health care, for all. Health literacy, for all. If I have to advocate for the rest of my life, so be it. I will never forget this day. I am humbled.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 05:21:09 +0000
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