Can I hug the Commissioner?

As a public health-er, I don't doubt that I'm where I should be at MDH.  But that really gets driven home when the Commissioner of Health for the State of Minnesota, Ed Ehlinger, my boss, is one of the most intelligent advocates for social justice I've ever had the pleasure of working with.  He is up there with Farmer in my book.

We received an email from him on International Women's Day, this is an excerpt:

"While there is much work yet to be done in achieving gender equity in our society, I am proud to work in a field where women are prominent and effective leaders. I am also proud to lead an agency whose work improves the lives of women and girls in our communities. We know that when we honor and support our women and girls – with health care, education, and pay equity to name a few – our society benefits immensely.

Working at MDH, it is not difficult to see the many contributions of women – nearly three of every four MDH employees is female.  I am a temporary interruption in a long line of women who have served as commissioners of health and whose efforts have been foundational to the work that all of us are doing today.  I have no doubt women will continue to play a central role in our field for years to come."

How often do we work with men (or women, but men specifically) who have the humility to call themselves a "temporary interruption"?  Not often.  My hero.