Expo 2009 - Solidarity in Sacramento for the Good of the Medicine

On April 23rd AOM practitioners converged in Sacramento for the “Transitions” conference and exhibition. Pre-conference activities at the Hyatt Regency included a return of the much loved Korean Saam acupuncturists, while across L Street members of the public and legislators participated at the California State Capitol in an Acupuncture Awareness Day and rally promoting “AOM in U.S. Healthcare Reform” under sunny skies and pleasant temperatures. How did it go?

Prior to the event, Bekah Christensen (AAAOM ED) and Doug Newton (AAAOM Program Manager) passed out thousands of postcards inviting California state workers and the public-at-large to come to Acupuncture Awareness Day. These invitations were met with welcoming smiles and alacrity, as they chose receipt of the postcard to confirm their support for the medicine. Some who initially balked at receiving a card from a stranger reconsidered and doubled back to take one. Many reported their positive experiences with acupuncture treatment. One man spoke about how acupuncture had helped his shoulder, while a woman mentioned how her son’s bipolar disorder had been “evened out” by acupuncture. “The highs are lower and the lows are higher. I love acupuncture.” Another woman declared that acupuncture had cured her migraines. In a recession where healthcare costs are the likeliest reason for expanding state and national debt thresholds, AOM’s preventative healthcare methods position it as an alluring commodity in the contemporary American philosophical consciousness.

And so “they” (the public, state agencies, legislators and staff) came to try acupuncture on the lawn of the California State Capitol. The event was sponsored by Assembly member Mike Eng, 49th District. Practitioners, many but not all of them local to California and Sacramento, volunteered their time and expertise to the cause. They looked much like other healers, except that the significant outpouring of public interest generated more smiles and a universally calming, welcoming environment. The three tents were soon populated with enthusiastic members of the public, overcoming their fear of needles, to see how it worked—many of them fascinated to watch the needles go in, others relaxing or even sleeping as their treatments (acupuncture demonstrations) ensued.

Later that day, the California sponsors of the day-long event, Acupuncture and Integrated Medical Society (AIMS), California State Oriental Medical Association (CSOMA), Council of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Associations (CAOMA), joined AAAOM in a Capitol rotunda reception where awards were received with stories of history and mention of the newfound solidarity informing the occasion. This was done with good humor that seemed to position a new foundation of collaborative possibility among California’s various AOM institutions. Is it possible for people who have felt mistrust and discord to come together for the good of a common direction? Not only is this possible, it’s happening now. AOM business sponsors, seeing the importance of this event, joined in hosting this reception. The support of the American Acupuncture Council (AAC), Golden Flower Chinese Herbs (GFCH), and Kan Herb were sincerely appreciated as they represent constant contributors to events that advance and enhance the sustainability of AOM in the U.S.

We must all continue to invest ourselves in this new social capital such that it may be leveraged into shared goals. It is not easy, but it is necessary. As Michael Taromina pointed out Saturday night at the banquet, “it is okay to disagree and still work together.” This distinction will serve us all well as our grassroots campaign and our lobbying effort work together for HR646 and inclusion of AOM in national healthcare reform.

Dr. Choi Seung Hoon, dean, College of Oriental Medicine of Kyung Hee University in Korea, gave the keynote address for the banquet following Acupuncture Awareness Day.

As 2004 appointee as regional advisor in traditional medicine for the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Dr. Choi spoke about the globalization of AOM.

This event demonstrated cohesion through its sponsorship by AIMs, CSOMA, CAOMA, AAC, GFCH and Kan Herb and beyond, through the long-term relationship the AAAOM has built through its participation and involvement with the WHO activities that were the subject of the presentation.

Some felt uncertain about how the “Transitions” conference would perform, occurring so soon after the October, 2008, AAAOM conference in Chicago. But with greater than 600 participants, it is clear that the new solidarity among AOM stakeholders and the opportunity of healthcare reform under the new administration can not be undermined by a weak economy.

Michael Taromina, AAAOM legal counsel and alternate public board member, spoke directly to the heart of the matter at the banquet. His message caught hold, and the AAAOM raised more than $35,000 that evening, yet another sign that the AOM community is willing to come together when it matters the most. The Medicine Men, a 4 piece band put together with AOM practitioners, staff and business members from around the country, was another symbol of the newly pragmatic symbiosis of elements combining, and conference attendees definitely had on their dancing shoes!

Now that all members know that AAAOM has hired lobbyist Sam Brunelli, we must work together to make the most of our collective presence in Washington, D.C. To that end, the AAAOM National Government Affairs committee invites all of you to handwrite a letter to your representative on behalf of HR646 before May15. We are pleased to provide a draft copy to guide your submission. Letters that are personalized gain greater recognition, so the sample draft letter (MS-Word) provided allows you to include your personal references and/or experiences. You can find out who your Representative is by logging on to www.house.gov and entering your zip code.

There has never been a better time to get personally involved in the future of AOM! Your letters will help prioritize AOM in national healthcare reform. To review AAAOM advocacy activities or to donate to the AOMPAF, please visit the AAAOM homepage and click “Advocacy Now” for further information.

The fertility, cancer, PTSD, Master Tung and scalp acupuncture workshops all enjoyed healthy participation and excellent feedback from those attending. The state association presidents, the AAAOM-SO, the AAAOM Action Corps, our companion organizations, and many other groups met to elaborate their agenda. Our exhibitors again featured the finest in AOM products with some reports suggesting that robust traffic was experienced, relationships were built, and new and existing product lines were explored. The visible support of KPC Herbs was again ever-present as their conference bag sponsorship hung over the shoulders of all attendees equal to their destined useful “afterlife” across the globe!

The AAAOM annual meeting and election included both familiar and new faces; details of the election outcomes will be announced in a separate communication.

The media responded favorably to the presence of acupuncture events in the State Capitol of California. Covered by the local Fox News and also Sacramento’s public radio station’s “Insight” program hosted by Jeffrey Callison, Will Morris gave AAAOM program manager Doug Newton a short acupuncture treatment. Will argued the case for the validity of acupuncture, and Doug explained that needles “don’t hurt” and invited people to attend Acupuncture Awareness Day.

On the Capitol grounds near the treatment tents, all 50 state flags were held, either by representatives from those states or by proxy. This photograph symbolizes our national unity and strength and shows how far we have come with the passage of acupuncture laws in the U.S. This event was created as a bridge from California to DC to propel our propel AOM forward in US Healthcare Reform.

We look forward, to a time when all 50 states have advantageous AOM scope of practice acts that are inclusive of herbal medicine. During the conference, one could palpably feel a movement toward the center. Acupuncture is no longer a fringe curiosity, mostly unnoticed by the public. Associations of all kinds are coming together in the face of a rare national healthcare reform opportunity. All stakeholders now understand that whatever disagreements may have informed relationships in the past, there is simply no room to entertain these divisions now when unity is the only means we have to succeed in claiming AOM’s seat in healthcare reform equal to our position in mainstream healthcare.

Next year’s annual conference will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 8-11, 2008. Please mark your calendars as we have already started building this event. Wherever possible, we will utilize AAAOM’s annual events to promote political and public awareness of AOM such that the host state is benefited by the exposure equal to our national agenda.

Equally, planning is already underway to host a march on Washington and a World Conference on AOM in D.C. in April of 2011. Building for an event of this size will require two years of planning and execution. As soon as we’ve contractually confirmed the venue and precise date, we will enjoin the full practitioner community into the planning process such that state and regional participation conjoins the expansive international participation that is anticipated.