BECOMING BETTER ANCESTORS™ is an approach to creating reliable change at a global scale that inspires us to understand lessons learned from the past so we are better prepared for today’s global threats and the ones we will face tomorrow.

In partnership with public health leaders and program innovators, Dr. Bill Foege and Dr. Mark Rosenberg, Lexicon Strategies developed an entire changemaker empowerment program: a virtual learning series, curriculum and events featuring interviews with key global health leaders. At 9Lessons.org through dynamic chapters and video segments, the series explores 9 key lessons from the campaign to end smallpox and how they can be applied to current and future threats across various disciplines.

The series shows how 9 important core lessons can be applied to COVID-19 and other disease areas. The series then goes even further to explore how the identified problem solving methodologies could influence our approach to solving other societal problems, such as structural racism, gender equity, and criminal justice.

[STATED NEED]

Now more than ever, in the wake of critical failures in the COVID-19 pandemic, people trying to solve mounting existential threats to humanity need tools to identify and address these problems. Becoming Better Ancestors: 9 Lessons to Change the World provides these tools, as well as a framework for approaching changemaking work consistently and reliably. These tools and framework need to reach practitioners, students, policy makers and leaders at this critical and fragile moment in time.

[STATED MISSION]

We are working to provide these tools to inspire and help changemakers across the globe address the critical problems facing our world today. These tools are the lessons learned from the eradication of smallpox, the only human disease ever wiped off the face of the earth.

[STATED VISION]

We envision a world in which there is global health equity, where everyone is protected equally: eliminating premature mortality, ridding the world of unnecessary suffering, and promoting the highest quality of life.

[SOLUTION]

To develop this video series, Lexicon Strategies worked with key global health leaders and stakeholders to create messaging, build engaging content, and to present stories about ways in which the 9 Lessons have been demonstrated. Our work consisted of all aspects of video production including interviewing, filming, editing, creative content, and branding. Our creative experts built highly stylized logos and images to trnasform the 9 Lessons into an immediately recognizable brand.

To support the program, we developed a marketing and media strategy that encourages the use of the program and assets - all free of charge from the 9 Lessons website.

We created a logic model to help outline and concretely communicate program goals and activities, and to guide and focus program development. We conducted a deep dive audience analysis to determine the needs of the learners and the best ways to engage them.

[CASE STUDY]

While Becoming Better Ancestors highlights key public health lessons and their application to the challenges of today, The Global Health Delivery Project at Harvard University delivered a teaching case study that helps readers gain a deeper understanding of what it took to eradicate smallpox.

It brings readers on a journey through history and allows them to stand in the shoes of some of public health’s most trusted leaders who faced the realities of day-to-day decision making on the ground.

[TOOLS & RESOURCES]

In addition to the video series, we developed a suite of tools that are instrumental in teaching and supporting the 9 Lessons.

The Learning Guide is an engaging and insightful companion tool for use with the video lessons. Presenting each lesson’s main ideas, summary, and thought-provoking reflective questions, it can be used by a variety of audiences and in many teaching strategies.

The Wallet Checklist is a quick reminder of the 9 Lessons and was developed so that those working in public health keep the 9 lessons in mind in all aspects of their work

Two podcasts, Infectious Ideas: Eradicating Smallpox and CDC Foundation: Nine Lessons for the Next Generation are conversations about eradicating smallpox, featuring program founders, Dr. Bill Foege and Dr. Mark Rosenberg.

Eradicating Smallpox: Delivery Strategies to Reach the Last Mile, is a Case Study developed in partnership with the Global Health Delivery Project at Harvard University. This teaching case helps readers gain a deeper understanding of what it took to eradicate smallpox.

[RESULTS]

From its official launch in October 2022 through early 2023, Becoming Better Ancestors™ generated strong engagement across digital and media platforms. The initiative recorded over 567,000 social media impressions across campaign and partner channels. Highlights include:

• 292,800 impressions from our launch email and campaign

• 151,200 impressions from partner organizations

• 97,300 impressions via global health influencers

• 13,800 impressions from individual practitioner networks

• 7,000 impressions through CDC Foundation platforms

• 5,900 impressions from academic and nonprofit partners

Together, these numbers reflect not only broad reach, but deep resonance with changemakers, educators, and public health professionals.

In earned media, Becoming Better Ancestors™ secured more than 85,000 media impressions and over $760,000 in estimated earned media value, with coverage from major outlets such as Yahoo! News, NPR, ABC News, Bloomberg, and the Associated Press.

The 9 Lessons also reached key public health and policy audiences through influential podcast platforms, including:

• KNX News Radio (1.25M+ impressions) – “New Project Looks to Protect Future Generations from Pandemics”, reaching global health leaders, local officials, and academic public health practitioners

• Contagious Conversations by the CDC Foundation (expected 10–15k impressions) – “Becoming Better Ancestors: The Lessons from Smallpox”, targeting CDC staff, field epidemiologists, and federal public health professionals

• The Health Advocates Podcast by the Global Healthy Living Foundation (expected 10–15k impressions) – featuring policy and advocacy discussions for healthcare leaders, clinicians, and nonprofit health advocates

To date, more than 3,000 public health professionals have downloaded our teaching guides and social media toolkits or been exposed to in-person trainings, and the project website has drawn over 35,000 visitors. With growing adoption from institutions such as CDC, Harvard, and TEPHINET, demand for the next phase continues to build—driven by those committed to making global health more equitable and resilient.

Becoming Better Ancestors: A Global Change Project