Reciprocity and interdependence. Those words capture so much of what makes for success— in families, in our communities, within nations, and across the globe. Reciprocity and interdependence are characteristic of so much that makes for a good life, rich in relationships and responsibilities toward others.
So it is no surprise that much of the Center’s work focuses on the importance of reciprocity and interdependence—from the need to work together to conquer a global pandemic to our embrace of the equal worth of all people. For example, this year, The Hastings Center has been proudly leading a public event series entitled The Art of Flourishing: Conversations on Disability. These virtual events feature a range of remarkable scholars, artists, writers, and thought leaders with disabilities who share personal stories about how technology has helped and hindered them in their work and lives. One of many personal insights shared by speakers in this powerful series underscores the ways in which interdependence contributes to human flourishing.
Interdependence is essential to Hastings’ success as well. Founded in 1969, The Hastings Center is the only freestanding bioethics research institute in the United States. We are independent in the sense that we are not formally affiliated with a college or university. Yet, as a small organization, we depend upon expansive networks of research collaborators, thought partners, volunteers, donors, audiences, and other stakeholders to fulfill our mission.
Given the complexities of today’s most pressing bioethics questions, no organization can address them single handedly. Fortunately, we don’t have to! Over the past year, collaborations contributed to our ongoing work on topics ranging from disability and flourishing to public deliberation on the release of genetically modified mosquitoes to the transplant of nonhuman-animal tissues or organs into people to the relationship of genetics to social behaviors to dementia and aging to social determinants of health. Deep-seated networks equipped us to produce scholarly analyses and policy recommendations on all these topics. In addition to our scholarship and policy work, Hastings is unique among bioethics centers in its commitment to public engagement.
Like so much of our research and programming, Hastings’ funding model is also collaborative and demonstrates our interdependence. We depend on people like you to support 45% of our budget each year. Please make a gift today by contributing online at www.thehastingscenter.org/give.
Together, we will continue to make a difference.
With appreciation,
Mildred Z. Solomon, Ed.D.
President
P.S. Looking ahead to 2022, I warmly invite you to register and participate in two exciting virtual events. On January 19 and 20, 2022, The Hastings Center is collaborating with the AAMC, AMA, and ANA to host a summit entitled Righting the Wrongs: Tackling Health Inequities, featuring keynote speaker Isabel Wilkerson, author of the best-selling book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Then, on April 19, Gary Cohen, president of Health Care Without Harm, will deliver our 2022 Daniel Callahan Annual Lecture entitled Is It Possible to Have Healthy People on a Sick Planet?Please plan to join us!
