Ahsia Badi works at The New York Academy of Medicine as a senior policy associate, focused on projects associated with creating healthier communities and improving aging policy. “I love the city, I love it, I love it,” she says. “I grew up in Ohio. Suburban Ohio. I never thought I would live in New York City. My husband and I moved here because of his work. We thought we would live here for a few years, have kids and move to the ‘burbs. But I love NYC! What I love about it is it’s a village, a small town. Everybody knows each other. My pharmacist knows me, knows my kids, asks me how my kids are. My librarian knows us. In a more intimate way than I have experienced at the Walmart in Ohio. People are friendly. They will chat with you. I love being on the subway and seeing people from every walk of life, race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status. I had my kids on the subway the other day, and I had to sit them away from me. And, you know, you want to be careful about who they are sitting next to. And everyone was so nice! And then you have these random experiences, and you are constantly reminded of your own biases and having to remove them when you have these interplays on the subway. … And everything gets delivered!”
