Authority Health – UROP Summer 2020 Symposium

Authority Health

Leslie Igbo

Leslie Igbo

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

UROP Fellowship: Detroit Community-Engaged Research Program

Research Mentor(s): Carolyn Custer, Dennis Archambault
Authority Health

Presentation Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2020 | DCERP Showcase

Authors: Leslie Igbo

Abstract

Hello, my name is Leslie Igbo (pronouns she/her/hers). I’m a rising sophomore majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Biomedical Engineering. I worked with Authority Health via the MOTION coalition, whose mission is to accelerate efforts that promote physical activity and healthy eating. I researched food insecurity as a social determinant of health, how Detroit communities and the food system are being impacted by food insecurity during COVID 19, and made recommendations of policies and programs that can address the issues. I also gathered data on Michigan’s local and regional emergency food response plans to identify gaps that MOTION can address, and researched the plans of other states to determine policies that Detroit can mimic.  Throughout the internship, I enjoyed learning about the systemic issues of food insecurity and how COVID 19 didn’tt create them, but intensified them. I also learned about the importance of sustainability- what programs and policies can be equitably implemented so all can be secure even during the most dire situations?  I admire Authority Health’s focus on equity, sustainability, and collaboration in everything they do. I hope to keep those concepts in mind while advocating for others in my future career goals. Thank you.

Research Disciplines

Social Sciences, Community-Engaged, Public Health

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