Politics and public health haven’t always been so divided, but in today’s world, even science and vaccines have become political battlegrounds. That’s why I sat down with Congressman Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress and a voice for Gen Z leadership, to talk about where we go from here.

We dig into what it means to lead in such a polarized time, the dangers of politicizing health, and how younger generations can push for change. Congressman Frost opens up about his perspective on the vaccine mandate debate in Florida, the role of misinformation, and why community and courage matter more than ever.

We cover:

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  How public health became politicized—and why that’s so dangerous

  
  


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  The impact of Covid-19 on trust in science and communication missteps we can learn from

  
  


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  The real stakes of rolling back vaccine mandates in states like Florida

  
  


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  Why Gen Z’s voice and skepticism can be a strength in leadership

  
  


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  How grassroots advocacy, calls, and community action can still influence policy

  
  


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  Congressman Frost’s perspective on staying hopeful and grounded in the fight for public health and democracy

  
  

To connect with Congressman Maxwell Frost check out all his resources at https://frost.house.gov/.  Follow him on Instagram at @repmaxwellfrost

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00:00 – Health care at risk: Frost’s opening
00:33 – Dr. Mona on vaccine rollbacks and misinformation
02:08 – Meet Rep. Maxwell Frost: Gen Z in Congress
04:32 – How public health became politicized
07:25 – Mistrust, disinformation, and Covid’s lasting impact
11:36 – The pediatrician’s perspective on burnout and broken systems
18:32 – Communication failures during the pandemic
21:23 – Vaccine mandates in Florida and political agendas
28:09 – What real advocacy looks like: calls, town halls, showing up
34:07 – Gen Z leadership, corruption, and the fight for change
43:08 – Division, anger, and re-centering community
50:26 – Radical optimism and final reflections

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