Several of our MPH students attended the 2017 CityMatCH MCH Leadership Conference & Healthy Start Convention, held September 18-20, in Nashville, Tennessee. What follows is a post from one of these attendees.
By Jordan Stephens-Moseley, BA
Conferences are both intimidating and energizing in my opinion. There is an expectation to network with people who you wish to seek help to further your professional career, but this is also the same reason conferences can be energizing. What you don’t expect from a conference is to finally level the field between students, researchers, doctors, and health professional of all levels. CityMatCH allowed for me to no longer feel intimidated to ask questions and have thought-provoking conversations that not only challenged others to think differently about the work they do in Maternal and Child health but also challenged me.
The opening and closing sessions at CityMatCH really allowed me to think about how I want to be viewed as a public health professional. The professionals who I was there to learn from seemed to be growing as much as I was, so when I listened to presentations on research and program interventions, I could contribute to the conversation as well. I could talk about the opening and closing sessions which reinvigorated my commitment to naming racism and calling out persons on their implicit bias, but meeting the people who served on the panels of these session is what captivated my attention. Within their relatable personal stories and public health experiences, I saw where I was on the right track and how I could push myself further. The goal was not only to walk away with new relationships and possible career ideas, but to really examine what I want to achieve in Maternal and Child health and what truly inspires me to do this work.
Imagine walking into a hotel resort where the extravagance of the resort is shown through the glass ceiling, an indoor water show, and the indoor boat ride. Upon arrival, there is no way I would have thought I would be taking my own boat ride to find my purpose as a public health professional in Maternal and Child health.
Jordan Stephens-Moseley is a second-year MPH student, concentrating in Maternal and Child Health. She plans to graduate in May 2018. Her interests include women’s health, sexual health, reproductive rights & justice, and the integration of race justice in clinical health & public health initiatives. She also loves dancing, cooking, music, reading, photography, and watching film & TV.
