Early Interests and Criminal Justice Beginnings
I never imagined that the path from criminal justice to public health would become one of the most defining journeys of my life. Looking back, it is wild, tender, and a little embarrassing how it first started. As a young teenager, shows like Law and Order and CSI had me convinced that I was destined for a life in law enforcement and forensic science. Mix that with a little eighth grade puppy love and suddenly I was convincing myself that changing schools for a boy and a magnet program made perfect sense.
My mother, who did not fully know the ins and outs of American school systems, said sure. My dad put everything on her. I thought I was being slick. I wish they would have burst my bubble. Still, I got into the law magnet program at Fort Lauderdale High School, and for a while, it felt like I was on the path I had dreamed up at thirteen.
I spent three years building what I thought would be my long-term career. I interned with NCIS. I became a sergeant at a work release center. I worked hard. I cared deeply. But the day-to-day of county corrections chipped away at me piece by piece. Reading case files opened my eyes in ways textbooks never could. I saw fees, penalties, and barriers that made it nearly impossible for people to climb out of the system.
One case changed everything. A man in my unit was violated on probation not because he reoffended, but because he chose to pay his daughter’s school tuition instead of his probation fees. He never missed a payment before. His probation officer knew this and still sent him back through the system. I cried reading the affidavit. This moment pushed me to take a career assessment at the workforce center, desperate for a path that did not crush my spirit.
Transition Into Respiratory
The assessment results showed what I already knew. I needed a career where I could care for, educate, and nurture others. I first considered nursing, but the moment I found out I would be wiping someone’s butt, I said absolutely not. Respiratory therapy felt natural. I was an asthmatic, familiar with the field, and drawn to the idea of helping people breathe easier.
Respiratory therapy was harder than expected, but worth it. Working at the bedside taught me things no degree could. I saw the same disparities I had noticed in corrections. Every patient story stayed with me. Just like in criminal justice, no two stories were the same.
Seeing the Bigger Picture in Healthcare
My awareness of disparities started long before I ever worked at a hospital. My father used to take me to the clinic where he ran the lab in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The clinic served patients with lower incomes, varied immigration status, and government insurance. The difference between that clinic and its sister facility in North Broward was drastic. That early exposure shaped me and planted the seeds of equity work inside me.
The Shift Toward Public Health and Advocacy
Graduate school had always been a goal, but my experiences before, during, and after childbirth made public health a necessity. My cousin wanted me to become an anesthesiologist assistant, but my purpose lived in community care and change, not in operating rooms.
Entering the DrPH Journey
Working with the Tennessee Department of Health alongside the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC lit a fire in me. I applied to every fellowship I was eligible for and even made it to the semifinal round of the ASPPH CDC fellowship. When I did not get it, I was disappointed but not deterred. I knew I was moving to Atlanta regardless.
My DrPH pursuit became about building the knowledge, tools, and power needed to fight for equity in the United States and in my second home, the Bahamas. My daughter’s story and my experiences navigating pregnancy and childbirth awakened my interest in health policy. Her existence gave me clarity and fueled every step of my public health journey.