Q: What universities have you attended, degrees earned and graduation years?

I have earned a BA in African American Studies & Women’s Studies from the University of Alabama and a Master of Public Health in Health Behavior from UAB. Currently, I am a fifth year PhD candidate in the Health Behavior program.

Q: Which program within the Department of Health Behavior are you currently enrolled?

I am currently in the Health Behavior doctoral program in the SOPH.

Q: What is your anticipated graduation date from your current program?

I hope to propose my dissertation this summer of 2024.

Q: Tell me about yourself (where you grew up, how you got into public health, how you ended up at UAB, etc.)

I grew up in the Black Belt in Fort Deposit, Alabama. I grew up in a family plagued by health conditions from hypertension to heart disease. As a teenager, I learned about people in my community trying to address health inequities, but I really didn’t grasp the problem until I went to college in Tuscaloosa and was able to see what a healthier community looked like. Initially, I pursued a degree in Biology before switching to African American Studies due to my love of history and learning from the Black experience. Looking back, I sort of fell into Public Health; however, it wasn’t a long fall as some of my classes also are rooted in historical contexts behind health inequities. I feel very privileged to be able to take what I have learned here and to apply it to my community in the near future.

Q: Why did you choose to study Health Behavior? And why at UAB?

Initially, I chose to pursue a degree in Gender and Race Studies (African American Studies and Women’s Studies) at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Learning so much about social inequities surrounding marginalized communities made me want to learn more about what types of health issues these systemic issues can cause among marginalized communities, mainly among Black women and non-Black women of color. UAB was the obvious choice for me to get involved in work in the Deep South and learn from instructors and researchers who are already in the field.

Q: Is there a faculty member who has made an impact on your academic journey during this program?

Dr. Tamika Smith has probably made the most impact on me during my PhD program due to her willingness to help guide me throughout my dissertation process. When I brought up the idea of my dissertation on exploring the impact of discrimination on safe sex practices for Black women, I felt like I had lofty ideas that I wanted to implement in my final dissertation, but after we met, she, along with the rest of my committee, gently centered me and made me understand that my timeline and goals weren’t aligning. I am continuously grateful for that experience.

Q: Have you been involved in any interesting projects or organizations during your time here?

Currently, my most interesting project that I have been involved in is my dissertation on understanding how discrimination impacts safe sex practices among Black women, so 100% of my time is spent working on my dissertation.

Q: What’s been your favorite class in the School of Public Health and why?

My favorite class in the SOPH was Dr. Allen’s course on Environmental Justice. I’ve always been interested in the parallels between health inequities and environmental justice for Black people and learned so much from her time as an advocate for climate justice and her life as a community advocate working in North Birmingham.