November 20, 2024

This month the Dornsife School of Public Health introduces our new cohort of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism (IDEA) Fellows.

The 2024-25 IDEA Fellows will work on service, educational and research projects that promote and support inclusion, diversity, equity, and antiracism (IDEA) work at Dornsife.

The Fellows are supported by Dr. Reneé Moore, Biostatistics Research Professor and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, and other faculty, students, and staff at DSPH.

Each Fellow is matched with a mentor to work on a specific project. This year's projects include:

• Supporting Black Maternal Health Equity through Black-led Community Based Organizations
• An Audit of Community Engagement Scholarship at Dornsife
• Health and Place: Mapping Social Determinants and Health Inequalities by City Council District in Philadelphia
• Measures of Structural Stigmatization and Discrimination for HIV Research with Latine Sexual and Gender Minorities
• Inclusion Innovators: Focusing on Inclusivity at Dornsife
• A Feasibility and Acceptability Pilot Study of GANAS: a Transformative Masculinities Intervention to Increase Social Connectedness and Reduce Stress in Latino Men
• Illuminating and Addressing Structural Racism in the Healthcare Industry: Building the Field from the Ground Up
• Building the Health Case for Reparations in Philadelphia
• Dornsife Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (DEIB) Initiatives

In addition to their project, Fellows become a part of the Office of DEIB and meet regularly. "Every month the IDEA Fellows come together to learn from those in the field, whether they are on the research end or are on the ground learning from community members," explained Janel Rodriguez, a BA in Global Public Health student, who is returning to work with The Ubuntu Center on Racism, Global Movements and Population Health Equity.

Now in its fifth year, the IDEA Fellowship began as a way for BIPOC students to be compensated for their participation in the school’s antiracism activities. Fellows are paid to work 10 hours per week during the academic year. The fellowship is open to all Dornsife students who share an interest in diversity and social justice programming and education. Learn more about the history of the IDEA Fellowship.

"As an IDEA Fellow, my goal is to bridge the gap between academia and the communities impacted by health disparities," said Bitanya Ayalew, a BS in Public Health student. "I’m committed to promoting collaboration and leveraging my experience in youth mental health advocacy to build initiatives that ensure every student and community member feels represented and empowered."

Meet the IDEA Fellows