Healthy Community Services’ Angela Chalk is a Spring 2021 Community Science Fellow with the American Geophysical Union’s Thriving Earth Exchange.
Thriving Earth Exchange is a program that “connects communities with scientists and supports them as they work together to tackle local challenges related to natural hazards, natural resources, and climate change.”
Angela recently published a piece entitled “Looking in the Mirror”, in which Angela paints a picture of her journey as a community scientist and the values that her aunts instilled in her that shape her commitment to the work she is doing in her community.
In her essay Angela wrote: “The values that commit me to this neighborhood were instilled at an incredibly young age by a closely knit multi-generational family, with very strong-willed matriarchal aunts. I contend it is incumbent upon me to make sure that my beloved 7th Ward has every opportunity to mitigate the effects of climate change and sea level rise, inclusive of more intense and frequent a
diverse weather events, and to improve access to healthy food sources. There is no room for error. There are no “do-overs.” Adverse climate change is the only non-discriminatory factor that affects each of us. It doesn’t matter where in this country one lives nor one’s belief in the science. The evidence is apparent each day. I challenge the reader. Look out your window. Is today the same as it was yesterday, last week or last month? Have you experienced an intense weather event, (i.e., urban flooding, snow, wildfires, tornadoes)? So, that leads me to the research project in which I’m a Co-Investigator.” which further give us a glance at the mirror she is looking into to keep her focus and wanting to do more to improve the lives of her neighbors while building resilient, healthy, and thriving communities.
You can read Angela’s piece here, and show your support by leaving a comment to support her and let her know how her work impacts, inspires, and motivate you.
NOTE: Angela Chalk holds a BA, Communications and Public Health Minor, Dillard University; MS of Health Care Management, University of New Orleans and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Health Care Administration at Virginia University at Lynchburg. She serves as member of the American Public Health Climate Health & Equity Advisory Board, the Advisory Board of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and is a Past President of the Louisiana Public Health Association. She enjoys cooking traditional creole dishes with crops grown at Healthy Community Services Urban Green Infrastructure Farm.