What is your current job?
I currently serve as the Social Justice and Racial Equity Policy Manager for the Environmental Health Division at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Describe your work and why you find it rewarding/challenging.
As an integral part of the broader initiative to transform the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene into an anti-racist organization, my role involves overseeing, managing, and steering equity initiatives within the Environmental Health (EH) Division. The EH Division is dedicated to preventing and controlling illnesses and injuries associated with environmental and occupational health risks through a multifaceted approach encompassing outreach, education, surveillance, and enforcement. Covering a diverse spectrum of subjects with over 1,000 staff members, the division addresses environmental investigations, lead poisoning, injury prevention, occupational health, food safety, childcare, radiation control, recreational and drinking water quality, air quality, climate health, vector control, veterinary public health, and pest control.
In my position, I collaborate across the division to infuse equity principles into divisional policies and practices. Additionally, I establish pathways and processes to amplify voices throughout the division, fostering workplace inclusivity. The work aligns with my commitment to advancing racial justice and collective liberation, but it also presents challenges in navigating and transforming entrenched structures.
During my time at YSPH, I made connections with friends and faculty who pushed me to broaden my understanding of health equity, particularly in the context of racial justice.
Helen Moore
How did YSPH prepare you for your current work?
During my time at YSPH, I made connections with friends and faculty who pushed me to broaden my understanding of health equity, particularly in the context of racial justice. These interactions compelled me to view health equity through the lenses of collective liberation and transformative justice, principles that continue to guide my public health career.
Were there any faculty/staff mentors who influenced your YSPH experience?
Absolutely. I worked closely with Trace Kershaw to shape the health equity and social justice core course, and he has continued to support me throughout my public health journey. Mark Schlesinger, my advisor, was instrumental in deepening my understanding of health policy and justice, urging me to engage more profoundly with the issues I was passionate about. Shelley Geballe provided me with a home away from home and inspired my pursuit of a career in health justice.
Do you have a favorite YSPH experience you can share?
As a diversity ambassador during my time at YSPH, my peers and I responded to shared lived experiences around health equity by creating a supportive space for community-building, free from any obligations. It was within these spaces and conversations with other talented and passionate individuals that I had some of the most impactful discussions around structural racism, especially in the context of navigating a career in public health.
What advice do you have for current/future students?
Keep people and community at the center of your public health career.