1/
Much love @TeenVogue for sharing my story.
I came from a place where my options were limited as a young black man.
I'm only here b/c of the heroes in my life.
I'll spend the rest of my life paying their acts of kindness forward.
A personal thread..
teenvogue.com/story/alister-…
2/
My story wouldn't be possible were it not for the heroes I had, like my mom who sacrificed her dream so I might achieve mine.
@Twitter doesn't have enough cloud space to hold all I could write about what she means to me.
Put simply, what is best in me comes from this woman.
3/
My 8th grade Math teacher Ms. Weise (former tennis pro then in her 2nd career) saw something in me that I could not see, that I was smart.
And yet, she knew the margin of error for black boys growing up in our town was slim where the dropout rate was 4x the national avg.
5/
She got me a summer job as a court sweeper at a fancy tennis club she taught at + taught me how to play.
I got hooked.
None of my friends played tennis.
None of my friends' friends played tennis.
Our high school didn't have enough players to field a team.
Didn't matter.
6/
After I dropped out of high school, Bob Stanicki who was the Asst. Coach at Rutgers had heard of me and saw me play.
He went out of his way to recruit me to play at @RutgersU including by helping me get my GED which made it possible for me to matriculate as a student-athlete.
7/
I wanted to be a doctor but after only just getting my GED, when I landed at @Rutgers this felt unfathomable.
Midterms? Finals?
No way.
Dr. Kamal Khan opened up an extra spot for me in his pre-med tutoring program (ODASIS) when he didn't have to.
billglovin.com/ewExternalFile…
8/ And although my dad left us when I was young, I'm grateful for him too.
At 25, I learned he had cancer and wouldn't have long to live.
I spent the last days of his life with him, getting to know him, caring for him.
Showing him the man my mom had raised after all this time.
9/
The number of heroes and inspirational figures (many I will tag on this thread) in my life is too numerous to count but these are just a few.
Wondering how you can be a hero in someone else’s story through the work at A Healthier Democracy (ahealthierdemocracy.org) covered..
10/
..in the piece by the incredible @AdairaLandryMD?
Here are 3 ways to get involved:
1) Participate in one of our national programs @Vot_ER_org, @Link_Health_org, @GetWaivered, and @GOTVax_org
2) Join our national Civic Health mailing list
3) Consider supporting our work
11/
1: Join one of our programs housed at A Healthier Democracy (ahealthierdemocracy.org)
Many of the problems facing our most vulnerable patients are rooted in the political determinants of health.
We must act here and now.
Time for talk is over.
It's time for action.
12/
@Vot_ER_org helps marginalized patients vote by helping them register to vote or get their mail in ballot while they wait in healthcare settings.
We've mobilized over 700 hospitals and clinics that have in turn helped nearly 80,000 patients vote in national elections.
13/
@Link_health_org helps low income patients enroll in the #ACP which gives them $30/mo to pay their high speed internet bill + $100 to buy a new computer.
We're closing the #digitaldivide by helping folks access thousands of dollars while they wait in healthcare settings.
14/
@GOTVax uses tried and true Get Out The Vote tactics to bring vaccines and public health messaging into low income communities.
Since launch, we have engaged over 220,000 low income Americans via direct vaccination campaigns or via public health messaging.
15/
@GetWaivered opens up access to addiction treatment by increasing the number of clinicians who have the ability and training to start patients w/ opioid addiction on the road to recovery.
Since 2017, we've trained over 5,000 clinicians who can help patients access treatment.
16/
2: Join our National Civic Health mailing list to stay connected to our work and stay up to date with all things community organizing at the intersection of health and civic engagement. ahealthierdemocracy.org/list/
17/
3: And if you can, please consider supporting our 501c3 - your donations to our cause are tax deductible and will go towards making a real difference in the lives of the patients we serve: voter.kindful.com/?campaign=1220…
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