On January 20, 2021, a page in this COVID crisis opened (we hope). President Biden and Vice President Harris are committed to eradicating the virus and rebuilding the U.S. economy, and they have enlisted the help of a talented team of advisors to do so.

One of Biden's trusted experts is Marcella Nunez-Smith, former co-chair of Biden's transition task force on COVID-19: Nunez-Smith now holds a historic title. She is the first presidential advisor in history to focus sharply on making health care more equitable. Her role is to lead the new Health Equity Task Force (opens in new tab). This group was assembled to devise solutions to our nation's deeply unequal and racist health care system. One of her first goals is to ensure equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. This is especially critical because research has shown that people of color have been hit the hardest by the pandemic, both physically and economically (opens in new tab). [especially as it relates to inequitable care for black and brown people. Nunez Smith, however, is well suited for the job. A professor and physician at Yale University, Nunez-Smith has worked in the field of health equity for 20 years. There's a lot of work to be done," she says.

She says, "We have a lot of work to do.

Here, Nunez-Smith talks more about her new role, the task force's top priorities, and what keeps her hopeful for the future.

Marie Claire: What is your anticipated role leading this new federal task force and what are your goals for the first 100 days?

Marcella Nunez-Smith: It is a great honor to be asked to take on this role. This is truly unprecedented. Certainly, there are many career bureaucrats in the federal government who are champions of health equity. But the fact that [President Biden and Vice President Harris] have convened such a task force is significant. That alone is incredibly exciting to me.

But the flip side of the coin is that we need it. And that is just sad. If we don't have such a disparity in the communities that are most severely impacted (by COVID-19) in terms of who is infected with COVID-19, who is hospitalized, who is dying because of COVID-19, I'd rather live in a world where we don't need a Health Equity Task Force ....... There are also economic disparities.

Frankly, the legacy of structural racism and discrimination in our country is why we need a Health Equity Task Force in the first place. Vaccination is a top priority for the Task Force. But we must walk the walk and chew gum. We cannot afford to lose sight of other issues. Equitable access to testing. Access to all treatments and therapies. When we think about contact tracing, how do we help people comply with public health guidelines by meeting their basic needs and providing financial stability? All of this must be considered. In the larger context, how do we restore community resilience? How do we think about pathways to economic and educational recovery? "I'm very excited to lead this work, but really health equity is always a team sport. [15] [16] Moderator: we know that health disparities and racial health disparities have existed in the health care system, unfortunately, long before COVID-19. You have been working on health equity for many years. Have you made progress?

MNS: I have been an internist for almost 20 years. When I started my medical education and career, there was no such term. Very early on we started talking about disparities. We have then moved on to understanding inequity, how the differences are caused by social factors, realities, and structural considerations. I think the rapid evolution of understanding root causes, even if only in this area, is a source of hope. The conversation is certainly different. According to a report released by the federal government, much work remains to be done to ensure that all people have access to quality health care.

There is much work to be done, but we are making incremental progress. And I don't think the moment we are in can be understated: with our collective witness to 2020, I think we have been able to predict who will be most affected, especially those of us who have been doing this work for a while. But after what we've experienced this year, after seeing those disparities laid bare, we can't just dismiss it and go back to the way things were. So, frankly, I expect acceleration.

MC: Is there anything from your past that inspired MNS to pursue this career?

MNS: Hopefully, many of us can bring our full selves to our work. For me, that is certainly true. I am informed by my own personal experiences and those of others around me. I have been very open about the fact that my own father had a stroke at a young age. It is a preventable condition. [It] certainly had a lasting impact on me. But that story is nothing special. Frankly, there are many families and communities that are cut off from their potential because of limited access to the tools they need for health and wellness. We must build something better. And that is what the (new) administration is committed to. We can't just make vaccinations available to everyone. We must raise the minimum wage, put people in school, and make sure that they are educated for the future that we all deserve to have.

MC: There is a mental health crisis in the black community, especially as a result of years of systemic racism and prejudice. When we think about health as an integrative model, how do we approach equity in that area?

MNS: We have to be innovative and creative. We must augment the (mental health) workforce. We also need to ensure equity in terms of reimbursement. [President Biden] is talking about a very large investment in mental health and mental health services. That is where we are leading. I think there is still a debate about stigma, but I think we have to address other structural issues, and I think in the era of COVID, we need more resources to address the mental health and behavioral health needs of all of us.

MC: What other issues do you hope to address in the next year or two?

MNS: For me and the task force, I would say we are looking forward to getting our work done. When we talk about vaccines, testing, access to treatments, and support for people who are isolated or quarantined, we are looking at equity in this COVID-19 area. [We want to have a roadmap moving forward on how to build resilience. We need to disrupt the predictability of this pattern. We don't need a crystal ball.

Part of the task force is to say, "What do we need now for COVID-19 to be an equitable response?" and then think about recovery and long-term planning. One important point is that fairness does not lie solely with the task force. The Biden-Harris administration is uniformly committed to equity. We are excited that the task force can convene leaders, build coalitions with people outside and inside government, and think through solutions and resolutions. We are saying, "Our work here is done. "You can pass the baton.

MC: Doing anything for the first time can be nerve-wracking. What gives you the courage to do it?

MNS: I think it's the right time. I never imagined this would happen. It is not about me. It is not about me. This is about the work that needs to be done. There are many predecessors who are doing this work for health equity." There are many people who have been ignored and discredited when they said, "Let's look at these realities and deal with them. I look into the eyes of my three young children and am inspired to create something better for them.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.