Manisha Sharma, MD, FAAFP
co-founder
Who I Am:
I’m a native New Yorker and a family medicine physician in San Diego. My life’s work is committed to “being the change I want to see” in how healthcare is delivered in the United States - always through the lens of equity and justice. I lead and contribute to strategic development in coalition and movement building at local, state, and national levels to dismantle structural racism in medicine and build towards health equity. For the past two decades, I’ve continuously worked at the juncture of patient care, health policy, system design, and clinical innovation.
Get in touch with Manisha
My Story
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Why I’m Here:
Alice Walker once said, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any”. My job as a physician is to care for and protect our patients, which also means preserving their civil and human rights.
I’ve been committed to empowering my patients, colleagues, and communities to vote since my medical school days. As a family medicine resident, I built a voter registration model in Bronx, NY FQHCs to register individuals who are often underrepresented in the electoral process.
The impact of voting and political decisions touch every part of our daily life, from safety to housing, education, and our health. Voting is a health “thing”. It is the one power citizens have a right to, in holding democracy accountable. It ensures a right to a healthier life for themselves and their loved ones. We must preserve and protect that right – always.