*this is a single page, scroll down to navigate*
Early wonders of a well community
Growing up, I didn't quite understand the substantial influence that social factors have on your life and wellness. In one sense, I knew it as my reality - I lived it. But I didn't know it as a validated, examined, and documentable occurrence. Bouncing between low to middle income throughout my childhood and having friends who were also from low income areas. Another thing I didn't pick up initially was the way social structures and pressures play into "poor choices" people make. Also how those alter our perspective of individuals "choices" as bad or good. When in reality, not all of those decisions are what they want to do or even prefer to do, but it is what they have to or best they can. For me a strong example of this is neglecting a health concern for a period of time, possibly longer, due to financial restraints. This can be not having dental check ups, limping on an ankle injury for a month before getting it looked at, and ignoring back or abdominal pains. The restraint of having time and transportation to go to a check up, paying for the check up, and affording the follow up for treatment if needed. This became a real experience in other ways than health alone. It manifests in all other aspects of wellness. From the shared experience of those around me in diverse or low income communities.
I knew that this was not a siloed reality.
Additionally, the prioritization of "making it out" as a measure of success in ones life. Being constantly on a "hustle", "grind", or "come up" chasing for achievements that in reality are disproportionately out of reach for many. Being engulfed in this mentality is exhausting. This exhaust is felt across the community. But what I didn't understand was the reasons contributing to these disparities.
Since my youth, I have always wanted to understand them.
My first year of college I was pre-med oriented when I took just one public health course. Just that one chance to hear about approaching issues from upstream. Where instead of standing at the bottom of the river to pull people out, go upstream and figure out why people are falling in, that's where you want to fix it. This concept of preventative practice, accompanied by an introduction to the social determinants of health spoke to my innermost core. It applied to the questions developed throughout my youth. The public health perspective helped me with early exploration of disparities affecting different communities. From an elective to my major, that one class turned into my undergraduate degree. Public health is not solely focused on treating illness but instead healing communities. I knew from here that I wanted to pursue opportunities to examine the causes upstream. My main interest was centered around racial and ethnic minority communities as someone who is multiracial. I realized that research could allow me to explore experienced realities and better understand the social influences within them.
Not only to understand them, but to improve them.
My interest to do research was ignited through my coursework, but truly blossomed during additional programs. As a student in the URAD Native Health Research Fellowship (Sp '23), I created a project promoting Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) practices for health focused research with Native communities. This research communication project was geared towards other undergraduate students in New Mexico looking to do research with the Native population. The goal was to increase awareness of CBPR in an audience seeking to conduct research or to pursue a career in it, as a way to improve equity in research.
Following this I participated in the Tribal Health Experiential Student Internship Seminar (THESIS) offered by Southern Plains Tribal Health Board (SPTHB) in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). During this 3 month internship I worked with a peer, Natalie Svebek, and a mentor, Dr. Lancer Stephens (Wichita/Creek), to create a research project. Our project was aimed at expanding the criteria for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). We identified 48 potential negative events that that provide a more inclusive and representative measure of childhood adversity across diverse populations. The original ACE study with a reserved population representation displays 10 events. These are currently the 10 used for ACE studies and intervention development. We hoped that by including experiences faced in different populations we could offer criteria to better identify areas of need for intervention.
These opportunities not only equipped me with research skills, but they solidified my drive for addressing and improving disparities from the public health perspective.
To improve them for by creating social change.
In Fall of 2023, I was accepted into the African American Student Services Ubuntu Research Cohort, previously named Black Research 101. The program's focus was is for students to create an anti-racist racial project that benefits the Black community. Choosing my research topic was not a simple task as I came into the program interested in many topics at the intersection of community health and social justice. With guidance from our program coordinator, Suyent Rodriguez, I was able to narrow down my focus and project goal. Here, my lingering curiosity from childhood spoke up. I felt most connected to a project investigating Black community wellness and the SDOH. Through mind webbing and a literature review, I began to uncover a background of social and systemic influences. My research investigates disparities in access to and stability of SDOH components became what they are today; and how they create barriers to achieving community wellness. Components such as housing, education, and healthcare.
Create change by utilizing my research to empower community members.
During the Ubuntu program, we learned about various theories, practices, and frameworks central to Black-based research methodologies. From Critical Race Theory and Standpoint Theory to Black Feminist Thought. We received exposure to tools that examine systemic structures and the involvement of racial identity. These frameworks enhanced our comprehension of the interconnectedness of these systems. One concept that resonated with me most was Critical Connection in terms of research development. As a practice that emphasizes mutual aid, being collaboration where both the researcher and participants contribute, it aligned with my project goals.
My proposed method of data collection is to carry out interviews with participants from the Black community to inquire about their lived experiences. An ideal setting would be meeting in an area of comfort for them. With this I want to back their voice, story, and experience with theoretical explanation. This corresponds with Critical Connection practices and that of epistemology. Epistemology being a way of asking what we know and how we know it. This would involve validating experiences as a legitimate form of knowing.
Additionally, the dissemination of information would follow the values of Critical Connection. Through creation of a blog-like website which is inspired by a social justice project named PB Resources by Alexis Williams from NYU. I hope to have my research both the background and the collected interview data accessible free to the public. This is in opposition to it being in a paid resource like a journal where only some members have access. It will showcase the exploration of historical roots of SDOH limitations, their current impact on community wellness, and resources to navigate these disparities. I plan for this final product to be utilized as a basis of dialogue among community members to empower change.
Outcomes
Since the beginning of journey here at UNM and my passions in public health, carving my path in research has been transformative. Not only for me as a future public health professional but me individually as a person. With the support of coordinators and mentors along the way my self confidence in the academic space has significantly increased. I feel that my placement in research and academia is more cemented now compared to when I started out. I also appreciate the variety in the research world and openness to find what really get you going each day. This project specifically empowers me to continue on with research focused on uplifting communities. After completing undergrad I am hoping to pursue graduate school doing a MPH/MSW dual degree program for behavior and community health. I am planning to later enroll in an epidemiology PhD program to further work within public health research and intervention development. The process of this project has certainly enhanced my time management and adaptability. Not only managing the program requirements, project updating, classes, work and other tasks. I have gotten to speak with peers about getting into research and I always share about learning to embrace the process as it is. It requires time and patience and you will likely encounter twists, turns, and redos. I encourage others to follow what resonates with them, I find that you can really enjoy what you do if you pick a topic that can get you up everyday.
Email & LinkedIn:
lwalker7@unm.edu & lqwalker@salud.unm.edu