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: Kennedy Nicholas, BS
I had never attended a conference before, let alone one as big as the American Public Health
Association conference. While it was initially overwhelming, I ended up having an amazing
experience. The theme for this year’s APHA conference was “Building Trust in Public Health
and Science”.
I was inspired by this theme because some American populations, particularly the underserved,
have lost trust in public health and science since the COVID-19 pandemic. It is incredibly
important to rebuild this trust in order to continue looking towards better preventions and
interventions to allow individuals to live healthier and longer lives. This was the overall talk
given by this year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Reed Tuckson. His passion and determination for
working towards a better and brighter future for public health was inspiring to me, and it
encouraged me to want to think more outside the box when I one day am in a position to better
the lives of others.
I found myself consistently enjoying the sessions led by the Maternal and Child Health
organization. One of those sessions was titled Improving Pregnancy Outcomes: Maternal Mental
Health. It is often stressed that pregnant women take extra care of themselves because any harm
that comes to them will ultimately affect their baby. This session addressed the many stressors
that often affect pregnant women across the country, as well as informing on social support
groups, and the effects of maternal mental stress during the prenatal period. Another session I
attended was led by the Women’s Caucus organization, and it was titled Adversity and
Resilience: Exploring Mental Health in Women and Teen Girls. This session covered topics such
as adverse childhood experiences, abortion stigma, and resilience in Black women during the
COVID-19 pandemic. As someone who has become a role model for my younger girl cousins, I
found this experience to be life-changing because not only do I want to be able to make informed
decisions about my health, but I also want to pass on my knowledge to those I love so that they are
ensured a better future.
Kennedy is a first-year MPH student with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health. She
plans to graduate with her MPH in May of 2026 and attend medical school that upcoming fall.
Kennedy is passionate about Black maternal and fetal health, Black maternal and fetal mortality,
health equity, and health advocacy. She loves music, spending time with family and friends, and
enjoying nature.
