RICHMOND, Va. — Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan is taking on hot-button issues as the new head of AARP, the nation's largest membership non-profit organization.
Only six months into her role, Minter-Jordan is prioritizing the protection of Social Security and addressing prescription drug prices for the organization's 38 million members nationwide, including 1 million in Virginia.
"People are very afraid. They want to understand the different changes that are happening. How will it impact their ability to get information, to get access again to earned benefits. People have paid into their Social Security their entire life," Minter-Jordan said.
As a physician, Minter-Jordan sees clear connections between her medical background and her new position.
"Healthcare for me includes all social determinants—where you live, what your finances are, how that contributes to your overall health. So, there's a lot of parallels between what I've done as a physician and the work we do at AARP," Minter-Jordan said.
AARP is a non-partisan organization advocating for those 50 and older on issues that affect their daily lives. Minter-Jordan has been making visits across the country as she steps into her new role, with Virginia being her third stop. While in Virginia, she spoke at Governor Youngkin's Conference on Aging in Williamsburg.
The Trump administration has vowed not to make cuts to Social Security and Medicare. However, recent proposals to close some field offices and change how members accessed services prompted swift action from AARP.
"We had over 2 million activists call Congress. They made phone calls, they sent emails, fighting and saying this is my experience in my hometown and many of those changes were halted. So, the power of activism, the power of advocacy is something we tap into," Minter-Jordan said.
Prescription drug prices remain another critical issue. President Trump signed an executive order to lower drug prices, a move AARP is monitoring closely.
"We're watching that very closely," Minter-Jordan said.
She emphasized the interconnected nature of healthcare access and affordability: "If we're continuing to lower the cost of prescription drugs, we also want to make sure they have access to those drugs through programs like Medicare so all of those things are intertwined and very important."
As she leads millions of aging Americans through challenging times, Minter-Jordan focuses on a three-part approach: acknowledging challenges, educating members and empowering them to act.
"Then becoming activist. Understanding what I need to do ensure my representative hears voice and there's something to that. There's something to be empowered and feeling as if you can do something about. The first is acknowledging this is hard and getting the tools and resources that you need and then take it into action," Minter-Jordan said.
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