1/ Today @EmoryMedicine dedicated the Leon L. Haley, Jr. Distinguished Professor and Chair for the Emory Executive Assoc. Dean of Grady Affairs.
What a powerful way to let the generations know of this great man and leader—and to remind those in the pipeline of their potential.
2/ Dr. @SherylHeron — his friend of over 25 years described him as a GIFT:
GIVING
INSIGHTFUL
FIERCE
TENACIOUS
No truer words have been spoken. I know it was hard for her to speak. She was brave and honored him in the most special way.
Here’s an excerpt.
3/ I can think of no better person to hold this inaugural Endowed Professorship than the tireless @GradyHealth champion @CarlosdelRio7. His work and dedication to Grady and the world have been extraordinary.
I think @lhaley3 would have been pleased with this.
Yup.
4/ We had the chance to hear from Dr. Haley’s family—his proud parents and his son, too. It was hard to watch but beautiful.
I love the pride in Dr. Leon Haley, Sr.’s eyes. @lhaley3 comes from greatness. I wish this narrative was shared more when speaking of Black families.
5/ Just think:
A Black man in medicine will have HIS name precede the name of another as an Endowed Professor . . .
6/ Oh—and don’t think it’s lost us that the inaugural individual to be named in this prestigious position is @CarlosdelRio7. AND that this happened during #HispanicHeritageMonth.
Yup.
My heart is so full, man. Whew!
7/ “Brother Haley” was what I always called him when I saw him. And what I know for sure is that Brother Haley cared a LOT about representation.
Though we wish it weren’t under these circumstances, the significance of this deserves a pause for reflection.
Truly.
8/ Brother Haley? To those who never got to know you—don’t you worry. We will make SURE they do.
And we will pass on to others in the pipeline that mischievous twinkle in your eyes & that smile you gave whenever you were pushing us to be great.
Like you.
Well done, sir.👊🏽🏥
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You: "Y'all dead set on trying to get folks to take that devil shot, ain't you?" *shakes head*
Me: *shrug* "I'm pretty dead set on trying to stop this virus from killing and disabling folks. So if that means getting a shot, I guess so."
You snorted.
2/ Me: "How you doing today?"
You: "Say what now?"
Me: "I mean, seeing as you rolled up on me throwing shade I figured we could at least get cool first."
*laughter*
You: "I'm good. But I damn sure ain't taking that devil shot. You can bet on that."
Me: *listening*
3/ You: "And low key--I feel some type of way about siccing Black folks on other Black folks to get them to take that shit."
Me: *raising eyebrows* "Ouch."
You: "I'm for real. I feel like they got y'all hoodwinked and bamboozled, too."
I was sitting at the #NoJudgmentZone table and notice a Grady elder quickly moving toward me on a walker.
Her: "'Scuse me, baby. You know where this at?" *places paper onto desk*
I took the paper and scanned it. Someone jogged up beside her.
Niece: "Auntie!"
2/ The Grady elder swung her head in the direction of the woman. The woman was panting.
Niece: *shaking head* "Auntie! Why you bothering this lady? She ain't the information."
The Grady elder rolled back a few steps and craned her neck to look at the sign beside my table.
3/ She squinted her eyes at me.
Her: "Now what you say you doing here?"
Me: "Ma'am?"
Her: "I'm trying to figure out what you doing next to the information if you ain't the information."
*laughter*
Me: "It's okay. I'm answering questions about the #COVIDVaccine."
It a little bit sound like the Charlie Brown-cartoon-grown-up voice. All wobbled up and hard for somebody to understand. I keep looking at her and she looking at me. I'm smiling so she won't think I'm confused.
But I am.
*names and details changed
2/ Big, weird words for no reason keep throwing me off. She seem like she in a hurry, too. At some point, I just said bump it. I'll just see if that lady at the pharmacy can help me.
Keep smiling. Smiling while she looking over all my pill bottles.
3/ Her: "This one's renal protective. Plus there's the added benefit of ventricular remodeling with your heart failure."
Heart failure?
She set that bottle down after she said that part. And it felt like a door slamming on me. Right in my face.
1/ I recall walking into the hospital to round the day after 9/11. Though everything seemed normal, it was anything but.
I pulled down a chart box and attempted to look through a chart. Then I looked up and saw my colleague walking toward me.
The one from New York.
2/ She walked up and I just hugged her. Tight without speaking at first.
Her: “It is all like a bad dream.”
Me: “I know.”
*silence*
Me: “Um. . .”
Her: “I spoke to everyone. They are OK. We are fortunate. But I know people who are still waiting.
I nodded in quiet deference.
3/ Since we didn’t know what else to do, we hugged again. This time tighter and more knowing. The way you cling to someone at a good-bye or uncertain future.
When we pulled back, she was looking skyward and patting her eyes with the heels of her hands.
1/ One day last spring, I had to go to a parent-teacher conference. I was flying on one wing. Physically, emotionally, and cognitively exhausted from trying to help one of my sons navigate this wonky, socially isolated, hybrid version of school.
It was not going so well.
2/ Combined with the heavy lift of work and an ongoing blanket of racial battle fatigue, I was on fumes. I limped into the meeting like a battered animal. I knew it would take everything in me not to weep through the entire thing.
Whew.
I said a tiny prayer and entered.
3/ When the teacher joined the call, she started with a few pleasantries. I clenched my jaw and prepared for the first punch to the jaw.
It never came. Her eyes softened.
Her: "How are YOU doing, Dr. Manning?"
Me: "Me? Um, okay I guess."