Volume 8, No. 2: Section 6, Autumn 2006

NOTABLE

"For me, the essence of a medicine (woman’s or) man's life is to be humble, to have great patience, to be close to the Earth, to live as simply as possible, and never to stop learning."
Words of Archie Fir Lame Deer, LAKOTA

Medicine People focus on their Being, not their doing. After all, we are human beings, not human doings. The Medicine People are very patient and consciously trying to live a live of humility. Medicine People are servant leaders. Their main purpose is to serve the needs of others. By this service attitude, they become the leaders people listen to and the leaders the people want to follow. Medicine People say everyone is their teacher; their way teaches others to be humble, patient, honoring the Earth, listening to our teachers, and sharing our natural gifts and healing skills with others.
O' Mitakuye Oyasin
Adapted from Blackfeather 6/16/06 [blackfeather1962@yahoo.com]

Ivy Baker Priest (1905 -1975), the 30th Treasurer of the United States while Dwight D. Eisenhower was President, said, “We women don’t care too much about getting our pictures on money as long as we can get our hands on it.” She never forgot her humble Utah beginnings as the daughter of a poor miner. One evening at one of the many elegant dinners with famous leaders, Norman Vincent Peale asked her, “…the people I have known in this world who have achieved things have all overcome some great handicap to reach their goal. I hope you won't mind my asking you . . . what was yours?” Ivy Baker Priest responded, “Poverty.”

“If women and minorities are to achieve their full potential, all of us need to be far more proactive. So what can be done?”

  1. Enhance leadership diversity in academic and scientific institutions.
  2. Provide diverse faculty role models. Run fair job searches.
  3. Speak out in the face of discrimination.
  4. Enhance fairness in competitive selective processes.
  5. Teach young scientists how to survive in a prejudiced world. Build self-confidence. Encourage all young people at all stages of training. Mentor!

Adapted from “Does gender matter?”
Ben A. Barres, MD, PhD
Nature. 2006;442:133-6.


NOTE: Dr. Barres is Professor of Neurobiology, Neurology & Neurological Sciences, and Developmental Biology, and Associate Chair of the Department of Neurobiology at Stanford University of Medicine. He is transgendered. He comments on “The Larry Summers Hypothesis” that “women are not advancing because of innate inability rather than because of bias or other factors.” A Wall Street Journal article in the July 13, 2006, issue reports that, after hearing Dr. Ben Barres’ seminar 10 years ago, a scientist commented, “Ben Barres’s work is much better than his sister’s.” Ben was Barbara before transgender treatments.

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