Students

This past April, I had the honor of being selected to present my research poster at the Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA) Biennial Conference in Toronto, Canada. The SRA focuses on advancing understanding of the adolescent developmental period to which my work directly relates. My research poster used the CHAMACOS longitudinal cohort study to determine if early major life events (positive, negative, and neutral) were associated with adolescent mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and internalizing issues). At a time when youth mental health challenges are more prevalent...

As a senior in my last semester of the undergraduate Public Health degree, post-grad is looming upon me. While grad school was an option, I knew I wanted some work experience before applying so that I could ground theory in practice. Because of the uncertain future that is just a few months away, it’s been a challenge to not fall into a mental spiral of fear. While I don’t know what this second half of 2026 will bring, I carry a piece of wisdom that Brazil taught me: I should be excited about my future, not dreading it.

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Informed decision-making is frequently presented as if it is simple: a provider explains, a patient understands, and a decision is made. However, in maternal care, particularly when dealing with immigrant mothers, I have learned that actual understanding is much more complicated. Being informed is not only about receiving medical information; it also depends on how that information is explained, how much time is provided to fully understand it, and whether the patient feels comfortable enough to pause, ask questions and admit confusion. As a doula who works with Latino-...