Peace & Health

In 1972, a twenty-year-old college dropout had the radical idea to open a free clinic in his New England hometown. Without money or training, but raising the banner that "healthcare is a right and not a privilege," Mark Masselli faced down opposition from the local hospital and City Hall. As he established Community Health Center, Inc., he found partners in a faith leader, a nurse practitioner, and a future U.S. senator; joined forces with Wesleyan University students and neighborhood activists; and was inspired by the Dalai Lama and healthcare reformers around the world. Today, Community Health Center, with its Weitzman Institute and national "Conversations on Healthcare" podcast, is regarded as one of the most innovative health centers in the country and has a presence in all 50 states.