Tell us about yourself

I am a critical public health researcher, Black feminist scholar, and anthropologist whose work lies at the intersections of race, gender, policing, the criminal legal system, and health. My research currently focuses on framing police violence as a public health issue by examining its impact on Black and Latina women in the US. My additional research interests include health inequities and the use of critical perspectives in examining public health issues by exploring the ways in which socio-structural systems contribute to health inequities for marginalized populations.

Why did you want to become a Research Affiliate?

Becoming a Centre Affiliate enables me to broaden and incorporate international perspectives on policing and women of colour, which is critical for alleviating harms that impact this group. As a Black feminist scholar and researcher, my goal is to understand how to mitigate and eventually eradicate harms that impact Black women, as well as other women of colour. Understanding their experiences holistically and internationally beyond a US-centric perspective is critical to achieving this goal.

How does your research connect to the Centre’s mission and values?

My research aligns with the Centre’s mission by examining the ways in which policing can produce harm and uniquely impact individuals from marginalised and vulnerable backgrounds to reduce harm. My research’s specific focus on women of colour’s experiences with policing — a group whose experiences are often under-represented in research and policy agendas — aligns with the Centre’s focus on reducing harms for vulnerable groups.