The clinic “prescribed” food for families with malnourished children — to be purchased from Black-owned groceries — and the bills were paid out of the center’s pharmacy budget.

The governor complained, and a federal official was sent to Mound Bayou to scold Dr. Geiger for misusing pharmacy funds, which, the official said, were meant to cover drugs to treat disease.

“Yeah,” Dr. Geiger replied, “well, the last time I looked in my medical textbooks, they said the specific therapy for malnutrition was food.”

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser renamed the street in front of the White House “Black Lives Matter Plaza” on Friday

Here’s what I do:

Recognize your goal. There is a difference between being right vs. moving someone towards thinking differently. Changing someone’s mind right away rarely happens, but showing them why science (and scientists) is something they can trust is a successful conversation, even if they don't fully accept the data.

Meet them where they are. Identify your audience’s priorities, concerns, and the outcomes that matter most to them. Frame data as a tool to advance their goals. For example, RFK Jr.’s underlying want is transparency. Data can help with that.

People don’t need more facts; they need educators and storytellers. Humanize numbers by pairing data with narratives that resonate emotionally. Stories can make data feel more relevant and harder to dismiss.

Shift the frame: Data should act as a compass, not a weapon. Rather than directly challenging their preferred studies, frame the conversation as exploring all available evidence to strengthen decision-making.