Tom's guests today are former Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy, and Sarah Hemminger, the co-founder and CEO of Thread, a program that works with young people here in Baltimore.
When Dr. Murthy served as Surgeon General during the Obama Administration, he was the first person of Indian descent to hold that position, and at age 37, he was the youngest active-duty flag officer in federal uniformed service.
Dr. Murthy left office a few months after Donald Trump was inaugurated as president in 2017. He returned as Surgeon General during the Biden administration.
When he left office last year, Dr. Murthy published a booklet titled My Parting Prescription for America, in which he warns of serious consequences stemming from the erosion of community in our country. When we are not connected to each other in meaningful ways, he contends, that lack of connection leads to what he has called an epidemic of loneliness, and a significant diminishment of collective and individual well-being.
In 2004, Dr. Sarah Hemminger founded Thread with her husband, Ryan Hemminger. Thread addresses the kind of challenges Dr. Murthy identifies, and it’s been recognized by Murthy and many others for its success in changing the lives of thousands of students and volunteers.
In Thread, volunteers invest their time and attention in students, many of whom are struggling in school and in life, to create the kind of community that can alleviate their sense of isolation and help them thrive.
Today, we'll talk about what building community means, and how it can shape and advance ourselves, our city, and our country.
Dr. Vivek Murthy and Dr. Sarah Hemminger join Tom here in Studio A for the hour...
And you're welcome to join us as well.
Call us at 410.662.8780, or
email us at [email protected]
