Meet Lizzy Knippler and Will Sperduto, co-Presidents of Partners in Health Engage. Formerly known as FACE AIDS before a merge of the two organizations, PIH Engage is a national network of community organizers—from undergraduate students to medical professionals to stay-at-home moms—dedicated to advancing the movement for global health equity.
Lizzy first found out about PIH Engage (then FACE AIDS) at Blue Devil Days before her freshman year. She met Will through the Global Health Focus Cluster and introduced him to the group. Two years later, global health equity remains a passion. Both are pursuing a Global Health major, with Will double majoring in Cultural Anthropology and Lizzy in Public Policy.
“To approach global health through a human rights lens is something that really appeals to me,” Lizzy explains.
In early September, Lizzy and Will traveled to a PIH Engage training conference to do just that. There the two heard Paul Farmer, co-founder of Partners in Health and Duke alum, speak alongside a diverse crowd of those passionate about health equity.
“It’s just cool to see the levels of passion spanning from a fifteen-year-old to a middle aged mom,” Will explains.
Agreeing, Lizzy adds, “We believe that health care is a universal right, but to see that it is a universal concern is a really powerful statement.”
On October 25th, PIH Engage will be participating in a global day of action, advocating for the right to health. The date is symbolic: October 25th represents Article 25 of the Declaration of Human Rights, which includes the right to health as a basic human right. PIH Engage will be joining groups across the globe to initiate discussions of the right to health and what that means to communities.
The pair is also looking forward to Duke’s 2nd Annual Condom Couture this spring, a student designed and modeled fashion show with outfits made entirely from condoms. Over 200 students attended last year, and the group expects an even greater turnout this year. When asked about the search for a larger venue, Lizzy replies, “What an awesome problem to have!”
“This year we want to focus on Condom Couture as a way to bring up more discussions about stigma, and I think it’s a unique way to do that.” Laughing, she adds, “And it’s just a cool event!”
All Duke students are invited to participate by getting a group together to design or simply attending this exciting event in the spring. With Lizzy and Will’s passionate leadership, Condom Couture and all other work done by PIH Engage are sure to be a success.