The richest man owns X. The second and third richest men control Google. The fourth richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The fifth richest man owns The Washington Post. And now the sixth richest could soon take over both Paramount and Warner Bros. See the problem here?

I repeated my first course in medical school three times. This essay begins there. BREATHING IN TENSION explores how humans and institutions survive pressure by metabolizing tension into growth. Body. Mind. Nation. One principle. Subscribe 🔗: tatendamakoni.substack.com?utm_campaign...

Cartoon by Mike Luckovich.

Well well well.

Walz: "The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here. There's going to be accountability on things that happened, but one of them is the incredible and immense cost borne by the people of this state. The federal government needs to be responsible."

The thing about this that is so enraging to me is that the FDA blessed running this study and 41,000 volunteers (heroes!) put their bodies on the line so we can benefit and that data is thrown away for nothing. (Btw I have no stock in Moderna or any other pharma) www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/h...

The Heart Does Not Wait for Permission open.substack.com/pub/tatendam... #MedSky

#IDSky I always email residents rotating with me survival tips for their time of the ID consult service. I like to keep this short and high yield but I am constantly editing and improving the tip sheet. What would you add or remove. It cannot be longer that one page 😊.

“The heart begins working before it is fully formed. Movements do too. Communities respond to harm the same way bodies do. Pressure becomes instruction.” Minnesota is demonstrating this principle in real time. Bodies act under pressure. Communities do the same. 🧧: account.venmo.com/u/Tatenda-Ma...

Fascinating obituary of Peter Duesberg who went from renowned scientist discovering the first viral oncogene to HIV denialist who influenced Thabo Mbeki and HIV policy in S. Africa which led to millions dying. Human beings are complex creatures indeed. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/s...

@kstephensonmd.bsky.social 🫶🏾❣️ That said, @idsainfo.bsky.social, I feel like I've paid my dues 🫣😅 Can you just tell me I'm exempt from submitting a fellowship application 🫠 #IDSkye

I used to write to prove something. Now I write to remember what I lost. I Write Anyway Essay link 🔗👇🏾 open.substack.com/pub/tatendam...

Sharing my essay featured in the Dec 2025 issue of @acadmedjournal.bsky.social Written for my mom & her physician, Dr. P Hazangwe, it felt too raw to share in August when it went live online. But choosing to be brave! Quoting my fav, “raise your 🥂 to freedom, something they can never take away…”

#AIDSDay2025 open.substack.com/pub/tatendam...

Y'all know I love that horse lady! My last piece was about her and yes, this one circled back too. The muse is the muse. I just follow where she points. Inspired by a history that refuses to stay silent. Link to my Substack in bio👆🏾

'The weight of the evidence has tipped heavily in favor of HPV vaccination" @hildabast.bsky.social but we now need to deal with growing vaccine hesistancy! absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/11/24/t...

Gilead’s trial participants outside the U.S. deserve more than to be studied. They deserve access to the drugs they helped make possible! In my first @statnews.com piece, I call for global equity regarding lenacapavir. Thanks @thekibosch.bsky.social for holding my story with care 🫶🏾 #IDSky

When you strip away humanity

If you see this picture in your IDSA daily news, just know that I’m mortified 🤣 Saving grace is standing with my amazing mentee Tatenda Makoni @tatezoe.bsky.social ❤️

First SNMA Annual Medical Education Conference #AMEC

Year ✌🏾 of planning the Bayard Rustin Community Breakfast with @fenwayhealth.bsky.social! #Boston fam, come through! My girl, former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, will be gracing us with her presence, & you do not want to miss it! Register here: fenwayhealth.org/help/events/...

I feel like I’m part of some bizarre experiment—because there’s no way this is real 🤔

I’ll never forgive y’all for not voting for that lady. Now I can’t even listen to Lemonade without mourning what could have been 😭

The largest private employer in Baltimore just lost $800 million in federal contracts and grants. This recession is going to be a doozy.

The global fund will roll out twice yearly Lenacapavir for prevention of HIV with or without #PEPFAR. Now the US contributes 30% of the global fund donations which is likely to disappear. Still important the fund is not backing away from this commitment 👏🏼. bhekisisa.org/health-news-...

@drjessigold.bsky.social 👋🏾 currently reading your book and I just want to say THANK YOU! 🥹

👋🏾 @mcuban.bsky.social first year medical student here looking for opportunities to learn/work with @costplusdrugs.com

Introduce yourself with your worst feedback from school 👇🏾 I’m Tatenda and I’m a habitual noise maker.

Any Kendrick Lamar fans on here?👀 #GNX

Someone please tell me for real for real, is this the “Bad Place”? 🤦🏽‍♀️

I’ve been following @wetheurban.bsky.social for a while now, and Willie Greene has truly been my Instagram therapist lol. Decided to celebrate myself with this early birthday gift 🫶🏾

👋🏾 #BlueSky and #IDSky! I’m Tatenda, a med student passionate about infectious diseases and global health. Still navigating my place in the world of medicine. Also, a pop culture enthusiast—if I weren’t in medicine, I’d probably be Beyoncé’s publicist 🤭

Polio, Pertussis, Tetanus

🫶🏾

Maybe, just maybe, the real #MedTwitter was all the friends we made along the way. #MedSky