PRESENTATIONS, NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Affirming Youth Foundation provides professional development trainings for staff working with youth in resource limited communities. This invited workshop focused on the socio historical realities that shape the experiences of children living in Miami's resource limited communities. The influence of systemic racism on social, political and educational systems teachers must engage children in was explored via interactive exercises.

I was awarded the Mid Career Shining Star Award for my demonstrated a commitment to multicultural research, teaching, and advocacy. The ceremony for this award was held during the American Psychological Association's National Multicultural Conference and Summit.

Using a Reproductive Justice lens, this lecture highlights ways in which Black women’s bodies have been dehumanized across sexual health research contexts. Drawing upon the literature examining the use of animals for research, breeding, show, and sport, the ways these actions have been applied to perceptions of Black women’s sexual health outcomes was discussed..

For this invited talk, I presented my verbal sexual coercion research. A key component of the address focused ways in which researchers can integrate an intersectional lenses when examining IPV across diverse populations. FIU Psychology Alum Dr. Alan Meca is on faculty at ODU.

Tools early career scholars draw from to develop productive and personally fullfilling academic tribes were addressed in this invited lecture. Empowering networking approaches that validate research, teaching and personal well being in academia were also integrated into this presentation.

This invited lecture focused on the ways in which health literacy directly affects health organizations' ability to effectively meet the simultaneous needs of patients, health providers and administrators. I highlighted comparative health, financial, and educational outcomes across India, Denmark and USA.

As the Faculty Advisor to the Black Graduate Women's Association (BGWA) at FIU, it was an honor to present the group with the College of Arts, Sciences and Education (CASE) award for Outstanding Student Group. We founded BGWA to create a supportive and empowering space for Black women in doctoral and masters level programs across the institution. Currently, there are over 50 members.