My Story in the Context of Improving Public Health

Research suggests that Americans who live at or below the poverty line may not

prioritize their personal health, and may perceive advanced healthcare differently than their

economic counterparts. As a diabetic, I have found that health care services vary based on

accessibility and community of origin. For instance, when the burden of disease has exceeded

beyond the ambits of public health, the patient has to seek tertiary services outside their

community. Hence, public health is at the forefront of health services to any marginalized

community. I want to deepen my understanding of their priorities in terms of child development

and economics, and how these values moreover shape their standard of living.  I also want to

advocate for preventive healthcare for the poor, including the homeless and indigenous families.

Based on my experiences living below the poverty line, being involved in civic engagement, and

working for the Community Kitchen of Monroe County, Inc., my undergraduate research has

been highly focused on improving the quality of life for marginalized communities.

I am a native son of Gary, Indiana, attending Indiana University because my late father

said so. I was enamored by the television show A Different World, as it exposed me to first

generation minority students who attended a Historically Black College. Thinking I could also be

successful, as a rising junior in high school I enrolled in Principles of Sociology at Indiana

University Northwest. Then, I consulted my high school guidance counselor about Indiana

University’s Groups Program, a program that offers first generation students jump start classes

prior to the fall semester of the academic year. Attending Indiana University as a first generation

student was far different from A Different World, but I did my best to make it work. When

working full-time and attending school full-time resulted in academic failure, I conceded and

withdrew from school, thinking I would eventually return to school.

During that eight year time gap, I worked three to four jobs to keep a roof over my head,

prevent eviction, keep the bills current, and perhaps have food in the house. I would work

mornings at McDonald's, afternoons at the Community Kitchen, and serve as a nanny most

nights in the town of Martinsville. Yet, I happily worked. Plus, I became a Mary Kay consultant

as a way of gaining income. I worked from one job to another. I preferred working at the

Community Kitchen, but full time employment wasn’t available until 2009. I worked all jobs

daily from 2007 until 2009. Sometimes I depended on the Community Kitchen in terms of food,

socks, and a blanket for the winter, the Centers for United Ministries for heating assistance, and

the local township agency for rent assistance. I knew that school no longer was a priority; I was

focused on survival and it became the least of my concerns. 

  In 2011, through volunteering for the PRIDE Film Festival for grant writing, I learned

about the Community Kitchen of New York City. They were looking for someone with my skill

set for outreach services, but the requirement was a Bachelor's degree. Feeling guilty I could not

qualify, the thought came "What if I could return to school and finish a Bachelor’s degree in

General Studies and move forward?" That following summer, I returned to Indiana University.

This motivation led me to apply and participate in post-baccalaureate research with the

Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, a program that provides training specifically to first

generation minority students who face similar challenges but want to progress to graduate school

in spite of them. Through the McNair Scholars program, my endeavor crystallized to facilitate

research on health disparities affecting marginalized communities