Perhaps you’ve been wondering what Uncle Joe B. has been up to lately — that is, between trips to the ice cream parlor and his fictional existence as a lovable but mischievous internet meme. Lucky for you that I’ve got an update to share. On Sunday he spoke at South By Southwest about his new project, The Cancer Initiative, which seeks to propel cancer research and find cures.
According to NBC News, the former vice president called cancer “the only bipartisan thing left in America” and explained that he had come to Austin, Texas to address “some of the [world’s] most creative minds.” SXSW, a festival traditionally focusing on technology, music, and film, may seem a strange place to discuss cancer research, but Biden emphasized the need for interdisciplinary collaboration. Indeed, collaboration was one of the themes addressed in the talk, together with a second: hope.