What made you join Racism Lab and how has it contributed to your research? I co-founded Racism Lab with Maggie as a doctoral student. We received funding from Rackham to create an interdisciplinary space among social scientists who were interested in understanding systemic racism and structural inequality. This space greatly enhanced my scholarship and understanding of this phenomenon in organizational settings. As a result of our work together, I published two research papers in interdisciplinary journals with a stellar group of researchers at ISR. Our research continues to inform my understanding of health and inequality.
A large component of Racism Lab has involved sharing our work to receive feedback and input from one another, what did this aspect of Racism Lab do for you as a scholar, overall? One of the things I appreciated about our group was learning how to ask good questions and offer constructive, tangible feedback. I learned how to incorporate this practice in all of my research collaborations and as I mentored students in my field. Working in an interdisciplinary space also required us to clearly and succinctly explain our theoretical frameworks and methods. This has helped me become a better writer and communicator of my research to a wider audience.
What is your current project or area of research? Please share what you’re most excited to be working on. I am currently a research director for a study examining how and whether corporate actions to address racial injustice will affect the health and well-being of Black people in the United States. I am excited to develop this project in partnership with a consulting firm so we can make changes in real time.