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Tell us about the research you are engaged in as a doctoral student at the Zilber College. What impact will it have on the community? What excites you most about it?

My research centers on the violence of law enforcement as experienced by Latine and Hispanic women. As a doctoral student, I have explored the growing body of research examining violence by law enforcement as a public health crisis that disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities. In particular, I have examined the ways in which law enforcement violence impacts Black and Brown women. A small body of literature has demonstrated that Latine and Hispanic women experience significant and disproportionate lifetime exposure to direct and vicarious violence by law enforcement. This exposure has both immediate and long-term impacts for the health of our broader Latine and Hispanic community, yet we often remain in the margins of public health discourse on law enforcement violence.

Through my research, I aim to strengthen our understanding of the unique experiences of Latine and Hispanic women with the violence of law enforcement. Through this process, I hope to add to the growing body of public health evidence that can support the work that has been underway for decades by grass-roots advocates and organizers, to dismantle the institutions that maintain structural violence and inequities in the attainment of health, wellbeing, safety, education, and prosperity.

What inspired you to pursue your PhD at 51����?

I was born and raised in the City of Milwaukee. The people I love most are here. Milwaukee is my home. When I felt ready to pursue a PhD, I wanted to complete it within the community I love so that I could help to create a healthier, kinder, and safer place not just for the next generation in my family, but for our community’s next generation.

The location of the Zilber College of Public Health was also important to me. The Zilber building is located just across the freeway from vibrant communities where the people themselves have been doing the work of improving public health, re-imagining safer communities, and fighting for justice and equity. These are the communities that public health practitioners, researchers, and students should learn from and work alongside in our struggle to pursue health equity. This was part of what inspired me to pursue my PhD in Public Health at 51����.

What differences do you hope to make in the world with your work in public health?

Over the course of my 20 years working in public health, I’ve learned that it takes a community, not just somebody with letters behind their name, to make a true and sustainable difference. For my part, whether through my future public health practice or research, I can only aim to do my part to support the work of so many who have led the fight for justice and equity. 

I do hope, however, that I can continue to help create a healthier, safer, kinder, and more beautiful space in our Southeastern Wisconsin community for our future generations.

What has been your favorite experience so far as a doctoral student?

My favorite experience as a doctoral student thus far has been getting to know and learning from my fellow students. I have been very impressed with the diversity of professional and life experiences among my colleagues within the Community & Behavioral Health PhD track and feel as though I have learned as much from them as I have the program. I have received nothing but support, encouragement, and kindness from my fellow doctoral students. They have helped me through some extremely challenging moments, and I will forever be grateful for having them by my side along this journey.

Tell us about the research you are engaged in as a doctoral student at the Zilber College. What impact will it have on the community? What excites you most about it?

My intended research topic is to elicit some of the factors that influence the generational differences in observed birth outcomes of West African immigrants in the United States. Depending on some of the associations found, I believe that this work can be helpful in making commentary about actions that can be taken and policy changes that can be made to improve birth outcomes for this group, as well as for the population, more generally. I’m excited to understand more about the topic I’ve chosen and I’m also excited that through data collected from this intended research, there is the potential to make commentary about the system as we know it and, hopefully, improve the things we have control over.

What inspired you to pursue your PhD at 51����?

When I was applying for public health doctoral programs, I found out that 51���� had a program in public health; I grew up slightly south of Milwaukee in Racine County and I was excited for the chance to get to experience Milwaukee more as an adult. Furthermore, after researching the faculty at the College of Public Health, I found faculty members (including my current academic advisor) who I really wanted to have the opportunity to work with. I’m happy with how it has turned out so far.

What differences do you hope to make in the world with your work in public health?

My overall interest is in health equity. The reason I am doing my PhD is to do my part to ensure that people have equitable access to healthcare and that there is an equitable distribution of healthy outcomes, overall.

What has been your favorite experience so far as a doctoral student?

Bittersweet and I am surprised I’m even saying this — I am very proud of myself for getting through my qualifying exam process. It was rigorous and it was a lot of work, but going through it made me feel capable, and it really made me think “I’m a serious doctoral student.” I suppose it was only a glimpse of what is to come, but I’m even more confident in myself and my ability to do the work. So, the qualifying exam has been my favorite experience because of how it made me feel and how it reminded me that I am, indeed, qualified (pun definitely intended).   

Tell us about the research you are engaged in as a doctoral student at the Zilber College. What impact will it have on the community? What excites you most about it? 

I’m currently engaged in two main projects: 1) an evaluation of a community-developed lead poisoning outreach program on Milwaukee’s Northside, and 2) a mixed-methods investigation of multi-level influences on perinatal cannabis use. What excites me most is engaging with people directly impacted by these issues. The intended impacts are to 1) understand the current challenges/harm being perpetuated, and 2) identify solutions, building upon strengths and successes. 

What inspired you to pursue your PhD at 51����? 

I worked in public health for almost 20 years before returning to pursue a PhD. I wanted to stay in the field but was looking for a different trajectory to re-focus on my passion – evaluation and research. I chose a PhD with the hope of gaining advanced technical skills and new ways of thinking. Zilber’s commitment to health equity and social and environmental justice was appealing to me. As someone with a family, job, and other commitments, I also needed a program that worked with my schedule/life. 

What differences do you hope to make in the world with your work in public health? 

I am looking forward to the next step in my career as a community-engaged, mixed-methods evaluator/researcher. My hope is that my work will lead to 1) deeper, more compassionate, and more nuanced understanding of public health issues, and 2) direct changes to systems, policies, and practices that promote population health with a special focus on birthing people, children and youth with special healthcare needs, and families. 

What has been your favorite experience so far as a doctoral student 

One of my favorite experiences has been going on this journey with a group of fellow grad students – they are just the funniest, kindest, most supportive, insightful group of humans. 

Tell us about the research you are engaged in as a doctoral student at the Zilber College. What impact will it have on the community? What excites you most about it? 

I work as an epidemiologist for a local health department where I focus on chronic disease and COVID-19. As a doctoral student, I am interested in researching the link between the two, in particular how COVID-19 may lead to the development of chronic disease. Understanding this relationship is important considering how many people have been impacted by COVID-19 and the inequities we see.  

What inspired you to pursue your PhD at 51����? 

I wanted to pursue my PhD at the Zilber College of Public Health because of its emphasis on social justice. As public health professionals, our goal is to improve community health and reduce inequities. Social justice is essential to achieve this goal as everyone deserves to live a healthy life in a healthy community.     

What differences do you hope to make in the world with your work in public health? 

Through my work in public health, I hope to continue to find new ways to leverage data to advance health equity. Data is essential to make informed decisions about effective public health strategies that will improve community health. Most important though, is that the community is engaged throughout the data process to ensure public health is focusing on what is most important to them.  

What has been your favorite experience so far as a doctoral student? 

My favorite experience as a doctoral student has been getting to know other doctoral students in different tracks. Collaboration is essential in public health so getting to know other doctoral students and their research interests has been insightful to learn about different aspects of public health.