What does the historic passing of the Inflation Reduction Act have to do with our beloved Nancy Kendall, you might ask?  I keep thinking of the climate changes we now experience and how our thinking quickly evolved in such a short period of time.  

Did early settlers in this country think about the long-term negative effects of their land clearing, their coal burning, and farming techniques?  Probably not.  Many people still feel that humans have not contributed much to these changes in the atmosphere and weather patterns and such.  We had not yet gained the knowledge then about the effects of the industrialism that was just beginning in her time. 

Now we are faced with both the scientific evidence and the opportunity to mindfully make changes to improve the health of our planet. Nearly 370 billion dollars in this Act will help us make those changes.  

Communities of color are disproportionately affected by climate change. More than half of African Americans in the United States live in the South, an area that is and will continue to see stronger hurricanes and increased flooding due to climate change. 
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Historic segregation means many Black Americans live in less desirable, low-lying and flood prone areas throughout the United States.  Many of these communities are adjacent to power plants, petrochemical plants factories and other sources of pollution. A large number of African Americans and other people of color face living in unhealthy conditions that severely impact their lives.

I applaud this legislation for many reasons, not the least of which is that it addresses racial inequity and fights to change it.  Nancy Kendall would be proud. 

In the "What Were They Thinking?" Category:

For an interesting perspective on climate beliefs of early settlers, scientific thinkers, and propagandists of the era, read "The first American settlers cut down millions of trees to deliberately engineer climate change," by Stephanie Buck.      

My heart swelled with relief and pride, as our President Biden attended this year's G7 Conference, held in Cornwall, United Kingdom. We are again a nation concerned with the environment, and committed to working with the distinguished representatives of the 6 other member countries. 

Greta Thunberg, the Swedish environmental activist, admonished world leaders for failing to address the urgency of climate change. Her organization, Fridays for Future, is a youth-led group that fights for more equitable and powerful laws regarding climate and the environment. She is right to admonish all nations for not doing enough to deal with climate change. And, we should be ashamed of ourselves.

Planning for future generations is not a new concept, by any means. In fact, the Seventh Generation plan developed by the ancient Iroquois Haudenosaunee became the guiding principle by which the tribes governed. 

Dating back to at least 1500 AD, the Seventh Generation principle, also called The Great Law, became the social, political and ceremonial fabric of the Five (later Six) Nation Confederacy. In fact, the American Constitution contains contributions from The Great Law, possibly thanks to Ben Franklin, who greatly admired the way the Haudenosaunee governed.

The Seventh Generation Principle in modern times is often brought up when decisions about water, natural resources and energy are made whether participants realize it or not. How will what we do today affect later generations? The idea that what we do now impacts future generations is an ancient one. 

The following brief, but engaging video further explains how Native Americans lived to honor people "seven generations" into the future using the Seven Generations Rule. 

Coming soon: Other ways early Native American principles not only impacted our past, but teach us about the future as well. 

 “Vaccines have the potential to be the equalizer of health disparities, especially around infectious diseases. I could never sleep at night if I developed anything — if any product of my science came out — and it did not equally benefit the people that look like me. Period.” - Kizzmekia Corbett, Immunologist

Kizzmekia Corbett is an immunologist at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is one of the many scientists who worked in collaboration with biotech firm Moderna to develop a COVID-19 vaccine now used around the world.

Her role in developing a vaccine to fight COVID-19 began in early 2020. But, her current challenge in that fight is nearly as important. As a Black scientist, Corbett understands all too well the vaccine hesitancy of people of color.

Medical research consistently exploited Black communities in particular. You only have to look back as recently as the 1970s, when conducting a long-term study that began in the 1930s, doctors withheld syphilis treatment from hundreds of Black men in Tuskegee, Alabama without their knowledge.

Or, look at the massive amounts of research and curatives that resulted from the cells of Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman who died of cancer. Neither she, nor her family, were asked permission for her cells to be used in research or received any type of monetary compensation until recent attempts at reparations came forth.

Kizzmekia Corbett is in a unique position to reach out to communities of color. She knows exactly what’s in the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as the undeniable history of medical research exploitation. She understands. But, as she says in an interview with Nature.com:

“I have studied health disparities since I was in college. I’m a double major in sociology. I understand the intricate interlacing of science and health, particularly for disparities, and particularly for people of color. So it’s near and dear to my heart. It’s actually the reason vaccine development is important to me, and is where I chose to take my viral-immunology career.”

How does Kizzmekia Corbett see her role now?

“My role is to deliver science in a digestible fashion. When I present a bar chart, I say, “This is the axis, and this is what you’re seeing, and this is how it was tested.” So, the goal is that eventually people see enough of this, and we get to a point where we don’t have to do that anymore.” - Kizzmekia Corbett, interview with Nature.com.