A thread for my friend @ranitmd, who has so much responsibility and work right now. She’s serving as interim public health officer for @Georgetown. She is also committed to turning the tide against authoritarianism in our country. And she’s tired. 1/

Imagine having to guide a university to serve public health during a pandemic, when even the best intentioned university administration might give in to short term thinking rather than the paramount importance of avoiding risk of serious illness and death. 2/

Imagine trying to focus on public health for a university in Washington, D.C. where Trump and Pence - two of the world’s biggest threats to public health - are based. 3/

Of course, @ranitmd is tired! But she’s a lot like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, another woman on my mind today. When Ranit learns of a problem or a need, she responds with intelligence and pragmatism — and flair. 4/

I met @ranitmd when she volunteered to speak at DC rally protesting Trump’s family separation as immigration policy and practice. I had connected with @ImmJusticeNOW and @shannonhmcclain and we organized rallies across the country, before big groups did theirs. 5/

I thought my role would be assisting people with getting permits for their rallies. But I wound up being the organizer for DC. I needed relevant speakers with expertise. And somebody connected me with @ranitmd. 6/

All I had time to learn was that she was in family medicine, seemed to know about the medical effects on children who were forcibly separated from their primary caregivers. I met her when she arrived at the rally, a beacon in her white coat. 7/

When @ranitmd spoke she totally compelled the attention of the several hundred people outside near the Capitol. It was her combination of knowledge, clarity, firmness that kept everybody tuned in. 8/

The roster of impressive speakers included @ilyseh, @SenCortezMasto, @RepJayapal, a representative from @domesticworkers. @ranit added a dimension no other speaker could. 9/

After the rally, I had the time to learn just how accomplished - and busy - @ranitmd was (and definitely still is. But she did not need me to know these things to impress me. She had impressed me by what she did and how she did it. Like RBG. 10/

And as we all set aside weariness in favor of fighting for the survival of U.S. constitutional democracy, we can focus on what we are doing each day to advance our goals. Like @ranitmd we face formidable challenges. Like her, we don’t need fanfare in order to meet them. 11/

We just show up—with our pens to write postcards, our 5 bucks for a Democratic candidate, our ability to serve as a poll worker—and we contribute. When others find themselves tired, I hope they, like me, picture @ranitmd, send her some pep and gain a little for themselves. 13/12

P.S. Want to instantly add some pep to @ranitmd ‘s day and to yours? Make a donation at link below, small or large, to Dems running in key races and sent a tweet saying #PepforRanit. Tag me, and I’ll retweet. https://swingleft.org/fundraise/hlf