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It’s your time to shine, ATL! 🎤
Last chance to submit your stories about your ‘Aha’ moments in public health.
Rebecca Grapevine
October 16, 2025
As Healthbeat enters its second year, we want to know how we’re doing in our coverage of public health. We hope you take a few minutes to complete a survey to let us know. By completing the survey, you’ll be entered to win a $25 gift card. Take the 5-minute survey here.
Hi, Atlanta!
Thanks to everyone working in community health who has shared their story with us over the past few weeks for our upcoming Healthbeat Live storytelling event. So inspiring!
Here's a sampling:
How a hurricane inspired a new mom to turn her career to addressing disparities in maternal and child health.
How an 18-year-old’s illness led to a career in science.
An EMT on mental health and the day a patient showed him what care should look like.
Stories from people in Atlanta working on public health in places around the world, including North Macedonia, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Africa.
To keep the momentum going, we will continue taking submissions until Monday, Oct. 20. Send your story (500-800 words) to [email protected].
Here’s the prompt: Tell us your “Aha” moments. That instant when you understood your work’s true impact. The day you saw how a small act of care could ripple through a community. The conversation that changed your perspective. The breakthrough that illuminated a path forward.
If you work in community health — whether as an epidemiologist, nurse, researcher, social worker, global health advocate, volunteer, or myriad other related professions — we invite you to share a true story from your own experience. Set the scene. Let us feel what you felt. Tell us what you learned, and why it matters. Humor is also welcome!
We’ll publish the most powerful stories on Healthbeat and invite a select few of the authors to tell their story live at the event, 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at Manuel’s Tavern. Seats to watch the event are filling up, so register here ASAP.
Many thanks to the Georgia Health Initiative for sponsoring!
Other Upcoming Events
Bonne Fire ATL — a group that aims to build connections among the city’s health care innovators — is hosting its monthly happy hour tonight at New Realm Brewing Co. on the Beltline from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Details/registration here. I’ll be there — come say hi!
ICYMI
Here’s a recap of the latest reporting from Healthbeat:
And … Healthbeat has launched a new newsletter, a weekly Global Health Checkup. It’s written by William Herkewitz, a journalist and former American diplomat based in Nairobi. Find his first reports here, and sign up here for his newsletter.
The Grapevine 🍇
Anthony Darden and Andretta Lige staff the booth for Chris 180, which provides many community services, at Atlanta Pride on Saturday. (Rebecca Grapevine / Healthbeat)
I had a great time at Atlanta Pride in Piedmont Park on Saturday. The best part was connecting with so many organizations that I’ve followed over my reporting career, including Chris 180, The Hope Clinic at Emory University, Lost-n-Found Youth, the Georgia Council for Recovery, and many others.
What I’m hearing from readers:
This is excellent reporting on critical public health work.
Public Health People on the Move
Dr. Marcus Plescia will take over as director of the Fulton County Public Health District on Nov. 3. Plescia is a family medicine doctor who holds an MPH; all three of his degrees are from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He served as deputy assistant secretary and the director of the Office of Science and Medicine in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and prior to that as chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
Longtime Positive Impact Health Centers CEO Larry Lehman is stepping down as of Dec. 1, when COO Joey Helton will take over. The organization has a budget of about $200 million and provides HIV, sexual health and other services at four metro Atlanta clinics.
What Do You Know?
Test your knowledge of public health topics. Today’s question:
A recent measles outbreak that started with an unvaccinated GSU student and spread to three other people resulted in a large contact tracing operation. How many people were identified as “close contacts” of the original case? |
Tell Me More
Is the federal government shutdown affecting your work? What questions do you have about how it will impact Georgia? You can reach me at [email protected], post a comment, or reply to this email.
In health,
Rebecca
Looking for your next read? Check out these other great newsletters.
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