Dr. Rupa Marya

Rupa Marya, M.D. is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and the Faculty Director of the Do No Harm Coalition, a 450+ member strong group of health workers and students dedicated to ending racism and state violence. At the invitation of Lakota health leaders, she is currently helping to set up the Mni Wiconi Health Clinic and Farm at Standing Rock in order to decolonize medicine and food. She has been the composer and front-woman for the international touring group Rupa & the April Fishes, a project that uses music as a way to explore the intersection of society and disease, now acutely felt with climate change. Her music, sung in 5 languages stitching together musical idioms from around the world, was described by the late Gil Scott Heron as “Liberation Music.” Her remarks on race in medicine have been seen by over 12 million people on NowThis. She was born to Punjabi parents in Ohlone Territory, now known as Mountain View, California and grew up between India, France and the US. When she married regenerative farmer Benjamin Fahrer and became a mother, her understanding of human health took a deep dive into ecology. She is currently writing a book with author Raj Patel, examining the impact of colonialism on the health of our bodies, the health of our societies and the health of the planet.