On Monday, at our Druid Health Clinic, doctors and nurses stood with Mayor Catherine Pugh and our entire Baltimore City federal delegation – Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Representatives Elijah Cummings, Dutch Ruppersberger, and John Sarbanes – to voice our strong opposition to the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to Title X family planning services. These changes will hurt four million people, many of whom already bear the brunt of health disparities and inequities, including women of color and low-income individuals.

Last weekend, I had the honor to speak at the UnidosUS 2018 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. Formerly the National Council of La Raza, UnidosUS is the United States’ largest Latino nonprofit advocacy organization. Other speakers included heroes and partners in our work in health and justice: Bryan Stevenson (Founder and Executive Director, Equal Justice Initiative); Cecilia Muñoz (Former Director, Domestic Policy Council, Obama White House); Chad Griffin (President, Human Rights Campaign); and Sherrilyn Ifill (President and Director-Council, NAACP Legal Defense Fund).

Here at home in Baltimore, we have exciting news: we are in the process of finally moving the Health Department’s Eastern Health Clinic. Eastern provides essential services to our City’s residents, including tuberculosis screenings and treatment, STD/HIV testing and treatment, family planning services, and immunizations for children so they can attend school. 

As an emergency physician, I have treated older adults who arrive in the ER with horrific signs of physical abuse, including injuries that led to disability or death. I have also seen our elders who are mentally, emotionally, and sexually abused, and who are targets of financial crimes and exploitation.