Replace: This text was first printed on Could 12, 2017, however Dominique Earland’s work is essential as ever as Black maternal well being is crucial. Earland presently attends the College of Minnesota, and is a MD/PhD candidate within the Medical Science Coaching Program. Earland’s analysis is round infectious illness, neighborhood well being and social justice.

Dominique Earland wasn’t simply born on Mom’s Day—in a way, her birthright grew to become her future. And this yr, her birthday can even fall on Mom’s Day and mark the start of every week of accolades in recognition of the younger scholar’s work.

Socially Engaged Researcher

Earland might be graduating later this month with two undergraduate levels from Southern Methodist College in Dallas: one in biology (pre-med monitor) and one in human rights. However from earlier than the ninth grade, she already appeared to be shifting towards what would turn into her life’s work.

The younger scholar arrived on the SMU campus in 2008 as a part of the federally funded Doctor Scientist Coaching Program, which inspires youth of colour to pursue STEM careers by taking college-level lessons and taking part in analysis initiatives. By means of that publicity, Earland discovered that SMU was a pacesetter within the discipline of human rights, one other ardour of hers.

“Listening to [EHRP Director] Prof. Rick Halperin discuss so passionately about essential points made me see there was one other world of studying alternatives on the market, ones related to me pursuing a profession in international well being,” she says. In 2012, SMU started providing an undergraduate diploma in human rights––”that basically sealed the deal that I might attend faculty right here.”

Maternal Well being Toolkit

Earland has earned a number of awards, grants, fellowships, and scholarships. She used her SMU Embrey Human Rights Program Neighborhood Outreach Fellowship to develop the 36-page maternal well being package for Dallas-area girls.

The information, Your Proper to Well being, which gives girls medical recommendation and alerts them to neighborhood assets, was developed “to interrupt down obstacles to healthcare confronted by all girls, particularly in Texas, the place maternal mortality charges have reached an alarming excessive,” Earland says. The information was accomplished with help from the Dallas County Fetal-Toddler Mortality Evaluation Program, and contains assets for refugees and undocumented immigrants; it additionally offers data on the Zika virus.

“Do you know an individual’s well being consequence will be predicted by their zip code?” Earland says. “Race additionally performs an element. African American girls face harsher healthcare disparities.”

A Gentlewoman and a Scholar

Earland has carried out analysis on anemia in being pregnant in western Jamaica, which has been accepted for peer-reviewed publication. She has additionally carried out analysis on teen being pregnant and took part in service initiatives that took her from Oklahoma to Costa Rica.

The Phi Beta Kappa Scholar has obtained SMU’s highest honor—the “M” award. As well as, she held a management position within the faculty’s Affiliation of Black College students and volunteered with a program for refugee youngsters, amongst others.

Together with a number of faculty grants and scholarships, Earland obtained help from her Philadelphia residence neighborhood, together with her household’s home of worship, Bethlehem Baptist Church, and the Black Ladies’s Instructional Alliance, based mostly in Pennsylvania.

Perhaps being born on Mom’s Day didn’t set the course for Earland’s life work, however it definitely didn’t damage!

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