In the United States, the maternal mortality rate for women of color is higher than for others. Understanding the self-reported barriers present in the healthcare system is crucial for future medical providers to arrange the best care for a patient. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the self-reported barriers that are present when women of color are receiving maternity/pregnancy-based care. An anonymous survey was used to collect data from women of color who were 18-45 years old (childbearing age) and had received maternity care in the past five years. The survey's results identified several self-reported barriers that could assist healthcare providers when providing maternity care for women of color.

Native American communities continue to experience significant disparities in access to mental health and social services. These inequities are deeply rooted in historical trauma, colonization, systemic racism, and ongoing cultural disconnection between Indigenous peoples and Western service models. This literature-based analysis examines key scholarly works to identify recurring themes and gaps in research on this topic. Drawing from foundational texts by Brave Heart (1998), Duran (2006), Gone and Trimble (2012), Walls and Whitbeck (2012), and Brave Heart et al. (2011), the analysis reveals a consistent recognition of historical trauma as a core factor affecting mental health outcomes among Native populations. The reviewed literature emphasizes the importance of culturally grounded healing practices, critiques Western models of care, and calls for Indigenous-centered approaches to treatment. However, a critical gap remains in the representation of Native voices, particularly those of families directly impacted by mental health service barriers. Much of the current scholarship generalizes across diverse tribal experiences or lacks direct community-based perspectives. This gap highlights the need for future research that centers tribal-specific contexts and lived experiences. By synthesizing these key sources, this project underscores the limitations of dominant frameworks and advocates for more culturally responsive and community-informed approaches to mental health research and practice in Native American communities.

This two-part project will examine how beauty content on social media affects the self image of young Black women. Using the theoretical frameworks of social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1986) and self-objectification theory (Fredrickson and Roberts, 1997), I suggest that Black women on TikTok receive harmful intergroup communication about beauty standards, relative to other racial groups, which ultimately affects feelings of self-esteem and self-worth. In Study 1, I plan on gathering social media comments on TikTok (~300 total) regarding beauty standards. Using Critical Technocultural Discourse Analysis (Brock, 2016), I plan to analyze this data to examine the specific aspects of this communication and how they relate to beauty discourses about Black women. In Study 2, I plan to run an online survey experiment with undergraduate Black women (~100 total) to test how these digital conversations influence Black women's perceptions about themselves, and how algorithms may play a role in these relationships. In line with previous literature (e.g., Ferell, 2022), I expect to find a link between TikTok beauty content discourses and lowered self esteem among women of color, specifically Black women. Finally, I plan to examine the role of social media algorithms in these relationships.

This research project examines how Indigenous communities in Oaxaca, Mexico, use customary law, known as usos y costumbres, to resolve local conflicts and govern themselves in ways that are more effective and accessible than the formal state system. After the 1994 constitutional reform, these practices were officially recognized. This allowed over 400 municipalities to elect leaders and resolve disputes according to community norms rather than through political parties or state courts. Drawing on interviews with state officials, this study explores how usos y costumbres offer timely conflict resolution, often settling disputes in hours or days. In contrast, cases that enter the formal legal system may remain unresolved for years due to a lack of state-level resources, limited institutional capacity, and the geographic distance between rural communities and legal infrastructure. These challenges make customary systems not only more culturally relevant, but also more practical for Indigenous communities navigating everyday issues. By focusing on accessibility, responsiveness, and self-governance, this project argues that usos y costumbres are vital governance systems that continue to meet the needs of communities where the state is often absent or ineffective. Although the research is ongoing, it highlights how Indigenous legal systems fill a critical gap in local governance and justice in contemporary Oaxaca.

Black maternal mortality in the United States represents a preventable public health crisis driven not by biological differences, but by systemic racism embedded in healthcare structures. Despite higher education levels and insurance coverage, Black women remain three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This research investigates how implicit bias, historical injustice, and institutional racism converge to shape the quality of care Black women receive during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. Drawing from foundational studies including those by Tulane University, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Journal of Women’s Health, this project explores how provider-level discrimination, underrepresentation of Black physicians, and longstanding racial myths such as the belief that Black patients feel less pain compromise clinical outcomes. Employing a mixed-methods design, this study collects qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with Black women who have navigated United States maternity care systems, documenting their lived experiences with mistreatment, pain dismissal, and misdiagnosis. Additional interviews with Black healthcare providers offer insight into how systemic barriers and bias affect their practice. Quantitative analysis of national datasets complements these findings, revealing patterns of disparity in morbidity and mortality rates, provider communication, and pain management. By centering Black voices and contextualizing healthcare disparities within a broader legacy of racial injustice, this research calls for urgent reform. Solutions include implicit bias training, investment in culturally competent care, and increasing Black physician representation. Addressing Black maternal health inequities is not optional—it is a matter of reproductive justice, racial equity, and human rights.