September 11: We Remember. We Serve. We Prepare. We Lead.

By Elegxà Wright | Author | U.S. Navy Veteran | MPH Student | Public Health Leader

Some moments in history are remembered not only by where we were, but by how they changed who we became.

September 11, 2001, is one of those moments.

Today, I pause to honor the lives lost, the families forever changed, the first responders who ran toward danger, the healthcare and public health professionals who responded, the military members who answered the call to serve, and the countless individuals who helped communities recover.

As an author, U.S. Navy veteran, Master of Public Health student, and public health leader, I reflect on September 11 through several interconnected lenses: remembrance, service, preparedness, leadership, and the power of our stories.

We Remember

As an author, I believe there is power in remembering and documenting the experiences that shape us.

Stories preserve more than history. They preserve humanity.

Behind every number associated with September 11 was a person. Someone had a family, a dream, a routine, a story still being written.

That is why remembrance matters.

We remember those whose lives were taken.

We remember those who ran toward danger while others were trying to escape it.

We remember the families who carried unimaginable grief.

We remember those who served our country in the years that followed.

And we recognize those who continue to live with the physical and emotional consequences of that day.

We Serve

My experience as a U.S. Navy veteran taught me that service is bigger than an individual.

Service requires responsibility, preparation, teamwork, communication, accountability, and the willingness to act when others are depending on you.

Those lessons did not end with my military service.

They continue to influence how I approach leadership, public health, education, community engagement, and even my work as an author.

Different chapters. Same commitment to service.

We Prepare

September 11 is also a public health story.

The impact of a disaster does not disappear when the immediate emergency ends. Communities may continue experiencing physical illness, psychological trauma, environmental exposures, interruptions in healthcare, economic instability, grief, and other long-term consequences.

That is why preparedness matters.

As I continue my Master of Public Health education at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, I have come to view preparedness as more than an emergency response plan.

Preparedness is an investment in people, systems, partnerships, communication, equity, and trust.

A resilient community is built before the emergency.

We must ask:

Can we reach everyone with accurate information?

Are our healthcare and public health systems prepared?

Are emergency resources accessible to people who may already face barriers?

Can agencies communicate and coordinate effectively?

Are we prepared for recovery after the immediate crisis has passed?

These are not questions we should wait until an emergency to answer.

We Lead

Public health leadership is not simply about being in charge during a crisis.

Leadership means creating clarity when circumstances are uncertain.

It means communicating information people can understand and trust.

It means using evidence while recognizing the human consequences of our decisions.

It means protecting people who may be disproportionately affected.

It means collaborating across professions, organizations, and communities.

And sometimes leadership means listening before speaking.

The uniform taught me service.

Public health continues to teach me prevention.

Writing teaches me the importance of preserving our stories.

Together, they continue shaping the leader I am becoming.

Twenty-Five Years Later

On this 25th anniversary of September 11, remembrance must remain at the center.

But remembrance can also inspire responsibility.

We can honor the past by strengthening the systems responsible for protecting our future.

We can invest in emergency preparedness.

We can strengthen community partnerships.

We can communicate transparently.

We can prioritize health equity.

We can preserve the stories that must never be forgotten.

And we can build communities that are prepared not only to survive difficult moments, but to recover and rise afterward.

We remember.

We serve.

We prepare.

We lead.

And we continue writing the story of what resilience looks like.

May we never forget those we lost, those who served, and those who continue carrying the impact of September 11.

May remembrance strengthen our commitment to building safer, healthier, more prepared, and more resilient communities for generations to come.

Elegxà Wright

Author | U.S. Navy Veteran | MPH Student | Public Health Leader

Rooted & Rising