Misha Inniss-Thompson says we should listen to young people — in particular, young Black girls — for their lived experiences which can help shape school policies and create real safe spaces in schools.

Inniss-Thompson’s work revolves around the impact of families, communities, and schools in shaping Black girls’ mental health and wellness using a cultural-assets perspective. She has also done research on trends in nationwide school discipline disparities that impact Black girls. Inniss-Thompson is an assistant research professor in the Department of Psychology at Cornell University.