People’s Department of Health Seminar Series

January 8, 2026 | Zoom | 9-11 AM EST

Session 1 — Organize for Impact: How We Built RESPND-MI in Real Time

The inside story of how a few people, a spreadsheet, and a sense of urgency grew into a city-wide health response.

When New York needed answers fast, we built a functioning research and communications network in weeks. This session breaks down exactly how: the systems of distributed leadership, joy-based accountability, and practical project management that made RESPND-MI possible.

People’s Department of Health Seminar Series are led by Keletso Makofane, MPH, PhD, social-network epidemiologist, activist, and Principal Investigator of RESPND-MI. Dr. Makofane trained at Harvard University and Columbia University, has advised the World Health Organization on HIV and viral hepatitis, and has served the International AIDS Society on its Governing Council and the 2025 IAS–Lancet Commission on Advancing Global Health and Strengthening the HIV Response. His work appears in The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, PLOS Global Public Health, and The Journal of the International AIDS Society, as well as in mainstream media like The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wired, MSNBC, CBS News, TIME Magazine, Teen Vogue, Science, Scientific American, MIT Technology Review, NPR, and STAT News. Dr. Makofane was named to Out Magazine’s Out100: LGBTQ+ Policy Makers and Advocates Changing the World.

Every session translates research into concrete tools participants can apply immediately—bridging epidemiology, organizing, and communication.

Early-bird registration is $199 through November 4. The regular price of $249 begins November 5. All sales are final. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link 24 hours before the seminar begins. A recording will be available to all registrants after the session concludes. Attendance is limited to ensure space for live Q&A. Please register early to secure your spot. For questions, contact admin@controlf.info.

January 15, 2026 | Zoom | 9-11 AM EST

Session 2 — Network Power: What the MPX NYC Data Really Show and How to Use It

Go beyond headlines. See how people, places, and networks actually shaped the 2022 mpox outbreak—and what that means for futures response.

This session will open the black box of the MPX NYC study to show how network-based data changes what responders to public health emergencies can see. Learn how to interpret social and spatial reach, identify leverage points for intervention, and build smarter surveillance systems. You’ll leave with exclusive slides on analysis and a step-by-step guide to applying these ideas in your own work.

People’s Department of Health Seminar Series are led by Keletso Makofane, MPH, PhD, social-network epidemiologist, activist, and Principal Investigator of RESPND-MI. Dr. Makofane trained at Harvard University and Columbia University, has advised the World Health Organization on HIV and viral hepatitis, and has served the International AIDS Society on its Governing Council and the 2025 IAS–Lancet Commission on Advancing Global Health and Strengthening the HIV Response. His work appears in The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, PLOS Global Public Health, and The Journal of the International AIDS Society, as well as in mainstream media like The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wired, MSNBC, CBS News, TIME Magazine, Teen Vogue, Science, Scientific American, MIT Technology Review, NPR, and STAT News. Dr. Makofane was named to Out Magazine’s Out100: LGBTQ+ Policy Makers and Advocates Changing the World.

Every session translates research into concrete tools participants can apply immediately—bridging epidemiology, organizing, and communication.

Early-bird registration is $199 through November 4. The regular price of $249 begins November 5. All sales are final. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link 24 hours before the seminar begins. A recording will be available to all registrants after the session concludes. Attendance is limited to ensure space for live Q&A. Please register early to secure your spot. For questions, contact admin@controlf.info.

January 22, 2026 | Zoom | 9-11 AM EST

Session 3 — Owning the Narrative: Health Communication That Works When Institutions Fail

When stigma spread faster than vaccines, our community designed messages people actually trusted. Here’s how.

This session unpacks the award-winning MPX NYC communication campaign—from emoji-based branding and bilingual design to influencer partnerships and translation workflows. You’ll learn how to co-create messages with community partners, measure impact, and build multilingual campaigns that feel alive. Every participant receives editable templates and visual assets to use immediately.

People’s Department of Health Seminar Series are led by Keletso Makofane, MPH, PhD, social-network epidemiologist, activist, and Principal Investigator of RESPND-MI. Dr. Makofane trained at Harvard University and Columbia University, has advised the World Health Organization on HIV and viral hepatitis, and has served the International AIDS Society on its Governing Council and the 2025 IAS–Lancet Commission on Advancing Global Health and Strengthening the HIV Response. His work appears in The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, PLOS Global Public Health, and The Journal of the International AIDS Society, as well as in mainstream media like The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wired, MSNBC, CBS News, TIME Magazine, Teen Vogue, Science, Scientific American, MIT Technology Review, NPR, and STAT News. Dr. Makofane was named to Out Magazine’s Out100: LGBTQ+ Policy Makers and Advocates Changing the World.

Every session translates research into concrete tools participants can apply immediately—bridging epidemiology, organizing, and communication.

Early-bird registration is $199 through November 4. The regular price of $249 begins November 5. All sales are final. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link 24 hours before the seminar begins. A recording will be available to all registrants after the session concludes. Attendance is limited to ensure space for live Q&A. Please register early to secure your spot. For questions, contact admin@controlf.info.

January 29, 2026 | Zoom | 9-11 AM EST

Session 4 — Futureproof: Building Community-Led Infrastructure Before the Next Crisis

What would it take for communities to lead the next public health response without waiting for permission?

This session turns lessons from mpox into a roadmap for community-based preparedness. We’ll cover funding models, redundancy and resilience planning, and how to position your organization as a credible, proactive voice in future crises. Designed for directors, funders, and policy leads ready to move from crisis management to long-term power-building.

People’s Department of Health Seminar Series are led by Keletso Makofane, MPH, PhD, social-network epidemiologist, activist, and Principal Investigator of RESPND-MI. Dr. Makofane trained at Harvard University and Columbia University, has advised the World Health Organization on HIV and viral hepatitis, and has served the International AIDS Society on its Governing Council and the 2025 IAS–Lancet Commission on Advancing Global Health and Strengthening the HIV Response. His work appears in The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, PLOS Global Public Health, and The Journal of the International AIDS Society, as well as in mainstream media like The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wired, MSNBC, CBS News, TIME Magazine, Teen Vogue, Science, Scientific American, MIT Technology Review, NPR, and STAT News. Dr. Makofane was named to Out Magazine’s Out100: LGBTQ+ Policy Makers and Advocates Changing the World.

Every session translates research into concrete tools participants can apply immediately—bridging epidemiology, organizing, and communication.

Early-bird registration is $199 through November 4. The regular price of $249 begins November 5. All sales are final. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link 24 hours before the seminar begins. A recording will be available to all registrants after the session concludes. Attendance is limited to ensure space for live Q&A. Please register early to secure your spot. For questions, contact admin@controlf.info.