Well-being and Equity (WE) in the World

Structural racism is like the air we breathe and the water we swim in. Without the lived expertise of those who are most affected by it--for whom it is both experienced and felt--and those who are part of the system who know how it can get shifted, we cannot see the system or change the system. Together, we can grieve, make sense of and create joy and justice. It was truly an honor to sit with Tavis Smiley, author of the Covenant, for this important conversation about ways we can make practical and powerful change even--perhaps especially--in this time. When healthcare systems--meant to be places of healing--do the work to heal themselves, we not only regain healthier happier birthdays and economic security, we regain trust with the people that matter most--our patients, our communities, and our people.

It was an honor to join this conversation on behalf of National Council on Aging. Three takeaways: 1) We cannot approach healthy longevity without approaching it across the life course. We live and age from birth to death. Those who are exposed to poverty and toxic stress, to unfair discrimination, will carry a far greater burden of chronic disease. This can't be addressed by just eating better and exercising more. We need to create communities that have the #vitalconditions we need to age well. 2) We can create the conditions for everyone to thrive--not just survive--and age well in a way that creates life and abundance. 3) If we can come together across generations to support everyone to have a fair chance to live, grow, thrive, learn, love, work, and age, we can have the shared power and purpose necessary to achieve it. Aging well with health is a cross-cutting issue that all of us can support.

Honored to be moderating a panel at Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) about the Leading Causes of Life which help us reground in this moment to draw on our strengths to address the challenges of the moment and build the promise of the future with Gary Gunderson and Howard Koh.

Heard Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH): "Hope is a memory of the future" "Hope is the substance of that not yet seen" "Hope, like love, activates efficacy and drives out fear" How might we create archipelagos of sanity? Rev. Gary Gunderson helps us find meaning, purpose and mission this morning. #LeadingCausesofLife

Last night, we came together in NYC on the sidelines of #CSW69 for “Beijing+30: Older Women as Trailblazers, Then and Now”—a powerful conversation on gender equality, aging, and the leadership of older women. Moderated by AARP’s Lina Walker, our panel brought together remarkable changemakers, from the trailblazers who shaped the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women to today’s older women leaders. Panelists included Gertrude Mongella, General Secretary and Chair of the historic 1995 Beijing World Conference; Dr. Somava Saha, Founder & CEO of Well-being and Equity (WE) in the World and Chair of the National Council on Aging’s Board of Directors; Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, co-founder of the African Women's Development Fund (AWDF); Emma Kaliya, Chair of the NGO Gender Coordination Network in Malawi; and #FriendshipBenchDC Grandparent Scarlett Small. In partnership with HelpAge International, Age International, Next50, Grantmakers In Aging (GIA), and the National Council on Aging, this event showcased the incredible resilience, impact, and leadership of older women who are not only driving change but shaping a more equitable and inclusive future for all.

A WIN Measurement Cooperative: Repurposing Data for Collective Impact Join the WIN Measurement Cooperative tomorrow, March 19, 2025 at 11AM ET for a dynamic discussion on rethinking and repurposing data assets to drive greater impact. Together, we’ll explore the data resources available to us in the field, uncover new ways to use them, and co-create a vision for storytelling that amplifies the collective “WE.” ???: March 19, 2025, 11AM ET Registration is free but needed to attend. Register here: https://bit.ly/4iDABIh Kristen Rego Well Being in the Nation (WIN) Network Somava Saha, MD MS Moyinoluwa Amoo MARION OLANG Andrew Martin, MS, MHCDS Lenicha Bell, SHRM-CP Steven Ketchpel, PhD

Honored to be joining an organization as historic as AARP for a conversation about how we create the conditions for everyone to have to a fair chance to age well with health and dignity throughout their life span

There is STILL time to register for both in-person attendance AND virtual attendance for our April Governance Support Forum! You won't want to miss the opportunity to hear from incredible speakers such as Kelly McGonigal from Stanford University; Somava Saha, MD MS, CEO of Well-being and Equity (WE) in the World; Brian Silverstein, MD, Chief Population Health Officer of Innovaccer; and Fletcher H. Brown, partner with Phelps Dunbar LLP. Register TODAY: https://bit.ly/42Kw6XC

Lance Laird is on a journey to being a better ancestor by breaking cycles, confronting the past, and working toward a more just future. He’s reckoning with a family history tied to racial injustice while striving to create a world where every child, including his own, can thrive free from discrimination. Being a better ancestor means acknowledging the past, challenging systems of injustice, and building communities where everyone is valued and affirmed. It’s about taking action today so future generations inherit a world of equity and opportunity. How are you working to be a better ancestor? #WE4Equity?#WEWINTogether?#Equity?#Change?#realchange?#betterancestor

Our CEO, Somava Saha, MD MS will be speaking at the AARP Global Thought Leadership Conference: Unlocking Healthy Longevity: A Blueprint for Thriving with Age. This year, AARP’s Global Thought Leadership Conference will bring together C-suite leaders, researchers, and experts to envision a future where longer, healthier lives are not just an aspiration, but a reality for all. ???: March 18, 2025, 9AM ET Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eXepUKyy #betterancestor #thriving #Longevity AARP Foundation AARP