On The Rise Towards Social Equity & Generational Wealth
For this podcast, I wanted to showcase African-American women, within the greater New York Area, that were actively seeking ways to effect change within their communities. Before attending Cornell, I was a part of a NYC based community service corporation that gave adolescent women of color the opportunity to speak for underrepresented groups within their neighborhoods. Issues regarding decreased funding for schools within low-income districts, lack of extracurricular programs available to minority students and racial injustices within African-American women’s health made up a majority of the concerns expressed by the women in this program.
Given the detriment that the current pandemic had posed to the education, employment, mental health and livelihood of citizens, nation-wide, I knew that any of the former challenges faced by individuals residing within low-income areas, would still be prevalent and would have much more devastating effects. My goal was to find a woman that was both aware of the negative implications the pandemic would have on underprivileged minority groups within NY, and willing to take the necessary steps to acquire the level of support from the state legislature, needed to formally address these issues. Throughout my search, I reached out to a variety of women of color that were either members of the New York State Assembly or were aspiring to uphold positions within the assembly or some form of legislative counsel.
Upon researching women within education & politics, I found a column about Chantel within an article regarding Community Development in NYC. Chantel was both a social worker and a democratic candidate in the General New York State Assembly Election. Her goal was to become a member of the legislative assembly for District 79. What truly resonated with me, upon meeting Chantel, was her extensive history and level of engagement within outreach programs geared towards improving social equity for members of the Bronx community. Not only was she the youngest person to serve on her communities council chair board, but she made it a priority to increase voter participation and accessibility within the Bronx area, by holding voter registration drives.
As an alumni of the Wadleigh Scholars Program, a program designed to give minority students an opportunity to receive a preparatory school education, I was especially proud of her efforts to ensure that thousand’s of her students received a college education through helping them obtain grants and scholarship funding. I also admired her plan to address issues within the Bronx, regarding public health care,environmental pollution, financial security and education through her Wellness Health Education Now (W.H.E.N) mission. Learning about Chantel’s W.H.E.N mission, exposed me to the negative impacts of industrial plants and highways on the health of residents within low-income housing communities and adjacent neighborhoods. As a part of my own initiative, I’ve been conducting research on neonatology and pre-emptive care facilities/options for women of color. Throughout my journey I’ve come across multiple research publications and testimonies from medical professionals highlighting the cause of health disparities within low-income communities to be due to dietary choice and genetic components. What was different about Chantel’s approach was that she acknowledged that increased susceptibility to health-related ailments such as cardiovascular disease , respiratory complications, even chronic obesity among the citizens within low-income communities, were majorly due to environmental and systemic factors. In the future, I’d like to analyze how environmental injustices present within low-income communities make minority women more susceptible towards experiencing complications within pregnancy.
All in all it was an incredibly enriching experience both getting to know Chantel, and having the opportunity to speak with her. She not only gave me the confidence to conquer my own fears about taking on leadership roles within legislation, but she helped me see that when we are both forthright with our visions for the future and adamant in taking the strides necessary to realize our vision, as women of color, we can accomplish all things.
Biography:
https://ballotpedia.org/Chantel_Jackson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chantel_Jackson
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/192233/chantel-jackson
https://www.facebook.com/pg/chantel2020/about/
Music Credits:
Roddy Ricch x Bryson Tiller Type Beat – “Prada You”
prod. BENJII YANG)
Bryson Tiller x Kehlani type beat – “Faithful”
prod. chase roy