CURRENT PROJECTS
As much as we work, we must rest more... When we rest, we heal.
COVID-19 & HUMANS WHO HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED
Even though we all experienced COVID-19, we all had drastically different experiences navigating the pandemic globally. The circulation of misinformation made it even more difficult to navigate, now we are left wondering what misinformation gained traction and how? How did people who have experienced marginalization due to race, gender, socioeconomic status and ability make sense of misinformation? How has misinformation influenced health injustice? As a research assistant on a team led by George Mason University professors and researchers, in partnership with the University of Chicago and funded by the National Institutes of Health, I work with others to explore how COVID-19 is impacting humans who have been exposed to the criminal justice system. We have conducted focus groups over the course of the pandemic, developed video messages with community members addressing misinformation, and are now in the data analysis and manuscript phase in the project. Please stay tuned for publications and takeaways for practitioners and researchers.
DOULA COLLABORATIVE
Birth and new life is MAGICAL! The beginning of life is a transformational moment for baby, the village welcoming baby and an opportunity for generational healing and radical love. As a doula, I help make birth experiences safe, comfortable, and beautiful. I offer emotional support before and during labor, along with hands-on comfort techniques and family integration into the birth experience. I'm currently working in collaboration with community partners serving families in Northern Virginia and the Tidewater area. Every birthing person needs a doula. It's all about finding the right fit for your birth!
MATERNAL HEALTHCARE
I am saddened each time I hear that Black woman are 3 to 4 times more likely to die as a result of pregnancy-related complications, and I want to change that narrative. Interpersonal support before, during and after birth can be life changing, but we also need policy support and systemic change to see a difference. I am currently conducting quantitative and qualitative research to understand and influence positive health outcomes in maternal healthcare, including patient-provider communication, perceptions of agency, choice-making, trust and safety. If you are interested in sharing your birth story, please let me know. Our stories need to be heard, and they have the power to make the impacts we need to see.