FOCUS
Imani’s research interests lie at the intersection of mental health, structural racism, and the built environment. Through community-based participatory research and culturally responsive place-based mental health interventions she hopes to improve the health of youth and families. The manifestation of historical and present-day policies and practices (e.g., residential segregation and gentrification) has contributed to the cyclical divestment and reinvestment of resources and subsequent adverse health outcomes among already marginalized communities. Imani aims to employ mixed-method research approaches that harness the innate knowledge and strengths within communities in tandem with policy analysis grounded in interdisciplinary principles and practices (ranging from sociology to urban planning). Imani hopes her work will help foster communities of care that provide space for individual and collective healing and thriving.
MORE ABOUT IMANI
Imani, a Southern-raised researcher and dreamer, is acutely aware of how history and environment collide to impact the health of communities. Ubuntu, meaning “I am because we are,” serves as a centering lens; it’s in this “we” that she has utilized collectivist approaches in local and global context to advance the mental health of marginalized groups.
