In the fall of 2017, Collins Dictionary crowned “fake news” word of the year, and on the surface it made sense. Journalists were using the phrase to sound the alarm about a polluted online information environment. Academics were publishing papers, naming conferences after it, and desperately trying to understand what was happening. And, of course, then-President Donald Trump was using it from behind the podium to discredit nearly anything he disliked. But by the spring of 2017, I had already grown exasperated. The term wasn’t just imprecise; it had become a weapon. It was being used to attack the news…

Under the warm, expectant sunshine of a Kampala morning, the air at Kawempe Community School of Health Sciences was thick with hope, pride, and the quiet hum of new beginnings. The graduation ceremony, a vibrant tapestry of colorful gowns, proud families, and distinguished guests, was not merely a celebration of academic achievement—it was a powerful call to conscience for the future of healthcare in Uganda. Presiding over the event as chief guest was Ruth Nankabirwa, the former Energy Minister and current Presidential Advisor, who used the platform to issue a heartfelt and urgent plea to the graduating health workers. With…