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Walk the Talk. Person-First and Co-Production.
Taking Person-First Safe Living in a Pandemic on the road with Health Communication students at The College of NJ leading to Care Against COVID on Instagram
Proem
During my career, I served twice in the C-Suite (C means Chief or senior leader in an organization). At first, a heady experience — Jeesh, I’m a real boss! When the honeymoon was over, I noticed that I was mostly talking to the same people — other people in the C-suite, by its nature, a small group. We all knew how the others thought. We understood the pecking order. There’s always a pecking order not necessarily related to titles. I craved bringing in new voices, shake things up. Perhaps we would make different decisions listening to other expertise, perspectives, and lived experiences? I never learned to sell that kind of inclusion.
Now, as a patient-caregiver activist, I strive to bring the voices of end-users (patients, caregivers, and point-of-care clinicians) to the table. When successful, the conversation and the learning change. In the Person-First Safe Living in a Pandemic initiative I’ve spoken and written about on this podcast, we sought voices, expertise, and lived experience different from we privileged academics and professionals.
