A precedent of overworking yourself and only resting when you hit burnout in order to work even more has been set in the workplace and it has to change.

In this episode, we are joined by the award-winning educator and social scientist, Dr. Courtney McCluney to hear about her research in codeswitching and how she has found freedom in wellness and reimagining how we should work through her company, Equiwell Partners Group. We are reminded that it is okay to remove yourself from work environments that do not serve you and that your work should bring you joy.

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When it comes to qualitative research, lived experience offers a wealth of valuable information that can shape and enhance the quality and relevance of public health studies. Few researchers know this better than Dr. Marissa Robinson, DrPH, MPH, RPCV, a strategic leader, visionary, and disruptor within the field of infectious disease.

In today's episode, Dr. Robinson shares her perspective on the power of qualitative research, recognizing our lived experiences as data, and breaking into the public health field as a Black woman researcher. We also touch on the value of taking an ethnographic approach, the importance of holding those around you accountable, and of course, what brings Dr. Robinson joy in her work. Tune in to learn more about using qualitative research to ensure that your programs, grants, interventions, and data drive positive impact and long term solutions, bringing joy to your communities!

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In this episode we are talking with Marline Edmond founder of Plug Communications, LLC about how she is developing culturally competent health communication strategies in "Plain Language U Get" to promote equitable health information targeting the Black diaspora.

Marline is a public health communications strategist, a third-year postgraduate student at Howard University Cathy Hughes School of Communications, and a self-proclaimed optimist who also goes by the moniker Munchy da Plug. In her research, she focuses on the history of health campaign propaganda, media framing of Haitians during public health crises, and the health communication practices to address the Black maternal health crisis in America. She joins us to discuss her mission and her varied experiences helping BIPOC people to navigate the US healthcare system. We touch on the gift we share as Black women to navigate different spaces, what it means to understand the political powers at play in the healthcare system, and harness the power of language. Language is evolving and we are called to respond to our changing world. Today’s conversation provides a practical starting point to empower others as we do exactly that! Thanks for tuning in. 

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Community-engaged research is a collaborative and participatory approach to public health research and evaluation that includes those affected by the issue at hand. Ultimately, this means going beyond the textbook to understand these issues from a different (and sometimes uncomfortable) perspective.

In this episode, we talk to community psychologist and committed equity and social justice advocate, Dr. Tatiana Bustos, about the impact of “unlearning” in community-engaged research and the importance of out-of-the-box thinking that invites communities into the process. Dr. Bustos shares insight into how she has helped public health practitioners build capacity with more equity-centered approaches that can strengthen communities and create social change to transform lives.

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In this BONUS episode, we continue with part two of our conversation with Chioma Nnaji about the challenges of manuscript writing and publishing. During the first half of our conversation, we learned about the work Chioma does at the intersections of immigrant rights and racial justice in public health along with the biggest challenges of manuscript writing within public health.

For the second part of our conversation, we explore how to navigate a system that was not designed to be inclusive or accessible and share the steps we’re taking to create a community where we can all learn and grow together. We break down what you can expect from our manuscript writing workshop, Manuscript Writing A to Z, and describe the wide range of people who can benefit from it before explaining how it’s intended to create a supportive community where we can all learn from one another.

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Serving your community is central to public health. But what happens when particular communities are excluded from certain spaces? Or are prevented from being included in important research and sharing of knowledge? These are some of the key questions that today’s guest, Chioma Nnaji, MEd, MPH, has grappled with on her journey as an organizer, community health worker, and researcher.

Today’s episode features part one of our conversation with Chioma, where we explore how to navigate the challenges of manuscript writing and publishing in public health. Chioma has been in public health for more than two decades, with her work in HIV/AIDS living at the intersections of public health, racial justice, and immigrant rights. Tuning into part one, you’ll learn about Chioma’s extensive journey navigating the challenges of manuscript writing, the difficulties inherent to publishing community-defined work, and how she and host, Joyee Washington, decided to form a partnership intended to help others on their writing and publishing journeys.

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When it comes to data collection and research within indigenous communities, we need to honor the sacred stories of those communities in order to support the decolonization of this data.

In this episode, public health entrepreneur, Heidi Berthoud, joins the conversation as we discuss importance of listening to indigenous communities during data collection, how we can support them more authentically, why their data belongs to them, the importance of giving that data back, and so much more! Heidi goes on to explain why maintaining complete objectivity is not productive in decolonizing data before she delves into what brings her joy in her work. To hear all this and share in Heidi’s passions for community data collection, reproductive justice, and making public health data accessible to everyone, press play now!

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We have made huge strides in how we treat mental health over the course of the past century, from the development of targeted pharmaceuticals to establishing newer and more effective methods of therapy. Yet, the possibilities of utilizing emergent technologies in treating mental health have largely been left unexplored until now.

In this episode, we discuss the role of virtual reality (VR) in mental health with Terrance Williams, Founder of Meta Wellness, a company that is harnessing the power of VR to help mental health professionals treat patients struggling with a range of conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and severe eating disorders. Terrance talks about how he founded Meta Wellness, the promising potential of VR in the mental health space, and his expectations for these technologies going forward.

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How can we equip those in faith-based spaces to guide not just the spiritual needs of their communities but their overall health too? This is the question posed by today’s guest, Ericka Horne, who is the CEO and Founder of AKCIRE Consulting, LLC, where she supports nonprofits and faith-based organizations with program planning and implementation. 

In this episode, Ericka offers some insight into her public health journey, her passion for faith-based partnerships, and how she uses her platform to prioritize self-care, education, and health equity, particularly in Black communities. We also take a closer look at what Ericka is doing to bridge the gap between faith and medicine and find out why building and nurturing community relationships is so important for public health professionals. 

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In this episode, we are talking with Tamara Mason about her work with the March of Dimes and as a doula to support Black maternal health and Black birthing joy. 

This is where research meets relationship and together, we will find our Public Health Joy!  

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