Writing Public Health for the Public: Stories That Change Minds

University of Michigan School of Public Health faculty William Lopez and Paul Fleming have a candid conversation about their recently published books and what it means to communicate public health in an era of mistrust and misinformation. They explore how books can be a powerful way to share public health ideas beyond academia, offering space for storytelling, context, and connection.

They also discuss the challenges of writing for public audiences, including ethical storytelling and translating evidence into clear language. Their conversation highlights lessons for students and practitioners, and why public health communication matters now more than ever.

Links to the work discussed in this episode:

• Imagine Doing Better: Why Policies Backfire and How Prevention Thinking Can Change Everything by Paul Fleming
• Raiding the Heartland: An American Story of Deportation and Resistance by William Lopez
• Separated: Family and Community in the Aftermath of an Immigration Raid by William Lopez

Meet the Speakers:

• William Lopez
• Paul Fleming

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