Name: Uwaila Stewart
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2024
What does public health mean to you? To me, public health is the means by which we, as a community, understand how well we are serving the least of these. When we look at our communities, each person you interact with is complexly created with a mixture of their individual and cultural values that are interwoven into their lived experiences. Public health works to account for the beauty in the differences that we all hold by configuring our programs, research, and interventions to create equity amongst the diversity in each group.
When did you know you wanted to purse a career in Maternal and Child Health? The beautiful life and unjust death of Kira Johnson was my catalyst into maternal and child health. My professor for my undergraduate university's maternal and child health class tasked us with researching facts about maternal health within the United States. I stumbled across an article about Kira Johnson’s story and was left in utter disbelief while reading about how she was left in excruciating pain post-partum for over 10 hours and eventually ended up passing away from internal bleeding caused by a lacerated bladder from her C-section. As I continued reading and researching, I quickly came to understand that this heartbreaking reality is far too familiar for many families in the US. Each story that detailed the tragic passing of a Black mother became a propelling force that launched me into pursuing a career in Maternal and Child Health.
Why did you choose GW's Milken Institute School of Public Health for your public health education? When applying for graduate programs last winter, I truly believed that George Washington’s Milken Institute School of Public Health provided the most extensive options and opportunities available for an MPH. While looking for a program, I knew that I wanted to be a part of a school that was willing to teach me everything they had to offer, while also challenging me to excel further. I also wanted to attend a school that was actively working within the community to address MCH issues and disparities. It did not take me long to decide that Milken would give me the greatest opportunity to achieve these goals while coming alongside MCH students and faculty alike who are working to push the moral arc towards justice and equity.
If you have completed your CE or Practicum, please comment about that experience and what it meant to you as you pursue your career: I have not completed my CE/Practicum yet, but I am looking forward to the experiences and to seeing what some of the available opportunities are for both the CE and Practicum.
Have any Public Health faculty or staff members influenced you in a unique way? So far, all of the staff that I have interacted with in my first semester have guided me and been a great support. As I continue through this program, I am looking forward to connecting with more staff and faculty members within Milken and learning more about their individual interests and areas of research, and the ways that they can influence the work that I am hoping to do.
What are your career plans post-MPH? After this program, I hope to do more hands-on community work using my skills and knowledge obtained from the program while also providing services and support to BIPOC birthing people using the doula skill I have gained. I also hope to dedicate some time to continued research into the health disparities that plague Black and African American mothers in the DMV and across the country.
What advice would you give an incoming MCH-MPH candidate? One piece of advice that I would give an incoming MCH/MPH candidate is to remember that you deserve to be in this space. For many students, especially students of color, self-doubt and even imposter syndrome creep their way into your mind leaving you feeling inadequate and unsure of your decisions. I know this because I struggled with these same things too. But everyday, I remind myself that the path that I am on is uniquely my own. Do not allow comparison to rob you of the joys of this experience, instead, walk your path with your head held high, knowing that you are paving the way for those who are following behind you.
Why should someone choose to come to the Milken Institute School of Public Health? Milken is a place where you come to grow! If you are looking to learn more, be challenged, and make great connections with future public health professionals, then I would say choose Milken.