Get to Know Our Interns...
My name is Ahtavia Taylor. I am 16 year old and will be obtaining my 11th grade status this upcoming school year at West Philadelphia High School. During my time at BWHA I was able to work with college professionals who gave me insight on the college experience. After working with Black Women's Health Alliance summer 2017 my plans are to continue following my dreams of becoming a Medical PHD holder or a Registered Nurse. In order to obtain this dream, I willl be applying to my dream school University of Pennsylvania.
My name is Jasmine Howard and I recently received my Masters degree in Public Health with a concentration in Community Health from West Chester University. During my time at the Black Women’s Health Alliance, I had the opportunity to participate in the planning process of a mental wellness conference, co-facilitate teen dating violence workshops, and attend multiple trainings and other community events. I am certified in mental health first aid and was able to receive CHES credits at a Philadelphia Fight event. My time at BWHA has provided me with an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics of community health, the inner workings of a nonprofit organization, and professional growth. I am currently looking for employment in the field as I am ready to gain more experience in public health settings.
Jasmine Howard
Ahtavia Taylor
Zane' Spence
My name is Zane' Spence and I graduated from West Chester University with my degree in Public Health: Health Promotions, Spring 2017. I will be pursuing my Masters of Public Health with a concentration in Health Care Management, Fall 2017. While at BWHA I received Mental Health First Aid training, facilitated a panel like discussion meeting, met many faces in the political eye, participated in a two day health conference in Oxford, MD, and so much more. This organization has allowed me to expand public health knowledge and prepared me for my masters journey. I look forward to the upcoming events so I can continue to support the organization and develop the professional judgement needed for this field.
Ivory Jones
My name is Ivory Jones . I am an intern at Black Women's Health Alliance summer of 2017. I currently attend Paul Robeson High School for Human Services. Once I complete my high school requirements, I plan to go to college and become an independent black doctor. I always wanted to become a doctor to give back to my community and help new generations become healthier and stronger. Working at BWHA has taught me more about mental wellness and how we look at others. Working here also helped me realize that you can share your emotions and feelings with others because they can probably relate to some of the same things. Overall, working at this organization has been an good experience.
Sherrice Jones MPH an intern at Black Women’s Health Alliance(BWHA), Brenda Shelton- Dunston MPH the Executive Director of BWHA and Jillian Baker Dr. PH,Ed, M., a Public Health professor at LaSalle University, submitted an abstract for The Teen Dating Violence Collaborative. The abstract was selected to be presented for the Public Health Poster Session located at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. The Teen Dating Violence Awarness Collaborative poster was presented at the annual Student Poster Day on May 5, 2015. The poster presentation highlighted, through visual display and text, the major points and components of the “Safe Dates” curriculum. The presentation was a success teens from the Karobots Junior Fellows Program attended Student Poster day and expressed their interest in the “Safe Dates” curriculum.
My 32 weeks as an intern at the Black Women’s Health Alliance has contributed not only to my professional growth, but also my personal growth. The Public Health master level course work at La Salle University has given me the knowledge of the science behind many global and local community health issues. However, I was not very familiar with the hands on public health experience behind my course work. At BWHA I have learned how to analyze data and use the findings to improve the community in which I work with. Facts and science are important, but communicating and applying the facts can be challenging. Through trainings in Public Health Data Entry and Communication, I learned how to effectively communicate issues to the public without instilling fear and creating further issues while at the same time identifying with the people. Other trainings that I participated in during my internship were Performance Based Prevention System, Enhancing Trauma Awareness, and Public Health Law. The trainings may have been basic, but I gained skills I could use in real-life situations such as program facilitation and project implementation.
Abdul Tejan-Kella a senior at the Temple University school of Public Health; an African American of a Sierra Leonean origin and a Philadelphia resident. Abdul volunteered with the Philadelphia Black Women’s Health Alliance in the fall of 2017 and interned with the organization in spring of 2017 to satisfy course completion requirement for a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health.Within the period of volunteering and interning with the Philadelphia Black Women’s Health Alliance, Abdul was afforded a tremendous amount of opportunity to get a firsthand experience of a Public Health profession. As a volunteer, he was assigned a data retrieval task through which he acquired enhanced knowledge in teen dating violence as a public health issue. As an intern, Abdul served in diverse roles and worked along a variety of personnel which contributed to enriching his professional astuteness. According to Abdul, his supervisor’s approach to imparting learning was encouraging and continued to give him relevant skills in the areas of event planning and running program activities.
