As the nation’s largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is working alongside others toward its vision of a Culture of Health, where everyone has a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being. It is in this spirit that the Foundation invited us to collaborate on an anthology that would spark new conversations about what a healthy future might hold. The result is Take Us to a Better Place, ten powerful, perceptive, and seamlessly crafted short stories that tell multiple truths about the realities of our health and the world in which we live. Featuring the literary talents of Hannah Lillith Assadi, Yoon Ha Lee, Frank Bill, Martha Wells, and Karen Lord, among others, as well as a foreword by Roxane Gay and an introduction by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Pam Belluck, the the collection explores a broad range of issues—from immigration and climate change to cultural identity and family connection.

As the COVID-19 crisis puts health and health care at the forefront of our national discourse, these stories have never felt more vital. They are being offered free to readers by the Foundation in both English and Spanish, and a conversation guide is available to help spark further conversation.