Vanderbilt Drinking Water Justice Lab

Makayla is a junior majoring in Medicine Health, and Society with a minor in African-American Diaspora Studies. She has a passion for public health and specifically focuses on improving public health efforts in marginalized communities. Her academic and social interests correlate with the Drinking Water Justice Labs’ (DWJL) commitment to pursuing an interdisciplinary understanding of health equity issues. Outside of her role in DWJL, Makayla is active on campus in several organizations committed to leadership and service. She is a mentor in the Sister 2 Sister Program recently established by the Bishop Joeseph Johnson Black Cultural Center. The mission of this program is to build mentor-mentee relationships between elementary-age black girls at Ida B. Wells Elementary School and the black women at Vanderbilt University. She is also a team leader for Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science. Additionally, Makayla serves as a resident advisor on the Martha River’s Ingram Commons and has been an RA for two years. She is committed to fostering genuine relationships with her residents and building a welcoming and comfortable community. Lastly, she is the President of the Mu Rho Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, inc. In this organization, she has chaired and led the execution of multiple events and completed several hours of community service. Makayla’s extracurricular activities reflect her dedication to working in the community. Her interests align with the missions of the DWJL to engage in research that both benefits and values the community’s input.