Sharonda Chiangong
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
UROP Fellowship: Detroit Community-Engaged Research Program
Research Mentor(s): Zachary Rowe, Star Garner
Friends of Parkside
Presentation Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2020 | DCERP Showcase
Authors: Sharonda Chiangong
Abstract
Hello, my name is Sharonda Chiangong (she/her). I’m a rising sophomore majoring in Biology, Health, and Society. I worked with the Friends of Parkside on the eastside of Detroit, which works to provide different resources and assistance to residents of the Villages of Parkside, a public housing community. Many residents were affected by the coronavirus pandemic and I helped find alternative ways to address their various needs. For example, FOP has several food distribution days and some of the senior citizen residents weren’t comfortable about leaving their homes to get food. We had to find ways to deliver food baskets to them. This experience helped me realize I want to pursue a career in public health or one that is community-based. Being in DCERP and hearing from so many different people who do social justice work also made an impact on me. In particular, hearing someone talk about Detroit Freedom House, which helps immigrants seeking asylum, really resonated with me. I know so many people who have experienced similar hardships seeking safety in this country. I feel blessed to receive so many opportunities. I am excited that Friends of Parkside granted me the opportunity to continue doing research with them. I also formed close connections with other DCERP fellows even though we only met virtually. I look forward to getting to meet them in person. Thank you.
Research Disciplines
Social Sciences, Community-Engaged, Public Health
