Several of our first-year Maternal and Child Health (MCH) students attended the 2024 American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting held in Minneapolis, MN, from October 27-30th. This year’s theme, Building Trust in Public Health and Science, emphasized the critical role trust plays in advancing health equity and fostering collaboration across communities. Below is a reflection from one of our attendees.
By: Madison Jones
Not only was this my first time attending an APHA conference, but this was also
my first time attending any sort of academic conference of this magnitude and I was
more anxious than anything else. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how intriguing
it was to bear witness to the magnitude of MCH work being done across the country. In
comparison to my own exposure to MCH work following the start of my program in
August, I can only attest to limited knowledge of progress coming from a public health
background where MCH failures are evident. To say that APHA was a breath of fresh air
is an understatement.
The first session I attended was the MCH town-hall meeting where a panel of
judges engaged in discourse with one another as well as the audience members,
addressing “Black Maternal Mortality and Morbidity.” The panel of speakers addressed
the disproportionate rate of c-sections imposed on black women, the lack of
accountability regarding bias, and racial discrimination. There are multiple ways this
issue is being addressed from implicit bias recognition to solidarity in numbers and
research. A sentiment is my biggest takeaway from the energy felt during this
conversation; it is seen, and recognized and there are people willing to do the work to
remedy it.
I also admire the ways in which public health is becoming a catalyst in other
areas of study. From public transportation to partnering with universities to offer different
career paths, APHA has revealed the inevitable emergence of the importance public
health has for the betterment of all people. As someone who fell into public healthcare
from a roundabout perspective, I did not realize how public health concerns affect all
aspects of life both healthcare-centered and outside of healthcare. This is the core
foundation of how people show up, or lack thereof, in their everyday lives. How we care
for our public is a direct reflection of our investments and commitment to serving the
public. APHA has affirmed that I fell into the right space, moreover, that I can do
meaningful work and feel recharged by everyone else in this field as well.
Madison Jones, BS, is a first-year MPH student, concentrating in Maternal and Child
Health. She plans to graduate in May of 2026. Her interests include lactation work, the
relationship between nutrition and maternal and child health, Africana Studies, and
doula support within birth justice. She also enjoys exploring New Orleans, baking, and
reading.
