Reverend Dr. Lynda Marie Jordan is a native Bostonian, born in Roxbury Massachusetts. She is the third of less than fifteen women of African descent—to date— that has earned the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Chemistry, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). After receiving the Ph.D. degree, Dr. Jordan became a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institut Pasteur in Paris France, where she made substantial contributions towards the purification and characterization of key proteins associated with human inflammatory processes. Her pioneering work of identifying both the calcium-dependent and calcium-independent high molecular weight Human Placental Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) isoforms contributed to the groundwork for the advancements …show more content…
Jordan has maintained her commitment to the community and has contributed to the development of services and resources for numerous grass root community-based programs. Her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., honored Dr. Jordan, at the national level, with the Project Cherish Award for her outstanding work in the community, and her scholarly contributions to society ─ as related to her advancements in Chemistry. Dr. Lynda Marie Jordan was also selected as the African American representative for the award-winning documentary entitled, “Discovering Women,” produced by WGBH in Boston. This pioneering series, profiled Lynda’s life in a one-hour documentary entitled, Jewels in a Test Tube. While on sabbatical, as the Martin Luther King Jr. Visiting Professor of Chemistry at MIT, Lynda Marie accepted the call of ministry on her life, and received ministerial training at Harvard Divinity School (HDS). While at HDS, she earned the Certificate in the Study of Science and Religion from the Boston Theological Institute. She also conducted ethnographic research, and her findings were published in an article entitled, Domestic Violence in the African American Community: The Role of the Black Church. Her Master of Divinity Senior Paper, Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Accessing the Power of the Holy Spirit for Healing, explores a theological perspective for addressing the wounds which stem from health inequities in our …show more content…
The topic of her Master of Public Heath practicum, Development of a Program to Enhance the Spiritual and Mental Health Needs of Homeless Women at a Daytime Shelter, examines the role of spirituality in the lives of homeless women. The cumulative training that Dr. Jordan received supports her current intention to serve as a conduit between the church, community, academia and the health care system. Her goal is to help develop effective ways to interweave the individual threads of these entities, so as to efficiently address the practical needs of the people. In June 2008, Dr. Lynda Jordan earned both the Master of Divinity (M. Div.) and the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degrees, from the Harvard Divinity School and the Harvard School of Public Health respectively. She joins a small number of individuals, from around the world, which holds these two degrees from
Health ←and→ mental health troubles reflected an extensive range of concerns centered on chronic health problems, substance abuse, psychosocial, clinically diagnosed problems, self-esteem problems. Substance abuse was noticed as a major obstacle to conquering homelessness addictive behaviors in the same way as alcoholism, drug abuse were frequently identified in
profession, communities, and in society” (para. 5). I want to continue to broaden my knowledge over the life of my career. I also believe in using this knowledge to positively impact others in all aspects of healthcare.
My education has equipped me with extensive, cutting-edge knowledge in holistic nutrition, health coaching, and prevention. Drawing on my expertise, I will work with clients, particularly faith driven women to help them make lifestyle changes and choose health-promoting ways that produce real and lasting results.
The clinical issues affecting the homeless individual can range from mental illness to health issues. Several clinical issues affect the homeless population because of lack of health insurance and clinical resources. “The clinical issues affecting homeless people are dental, vision, foot diseases, post-traumatic arthritis, HIV, TB, STD’s respiratory infections, diabetes, hypertension, and nutritional problems are all major clinical issues” (Zevin, 2013). Quite a few people are homeless and suffer from various clinical issues because they have no insurance, housing, support from family/friends, or program resources. It seems when populations such homelessness is so huge some are left behind with no help. Various social service organizations exist that cater to the homeless population, but so many individuals and families are not helped because of mis-direction. Health care is an important factor to many, especially those who do not have access to a health care facility. Social services resources are available as well as the human service
Social work continues to be a necessary and important profession because there are such a wide variety and abundance of social issues that exist in the world today. Among these issues, one of great prevalence is homelessness. Homelessness is an important problem that needs to be directly addressed because it can lead to many other problems as well. Problems such as poor academic performance and malnutrition can arise as a result of homelessness. If the issue of homelessness is improved, many other issues can be improved as well. Two articles that contribute to addressing this issue are Examining Perceived Barriers and
I have been given many opportunities to help others and make an impact in Johnson City through organizations like the Family Medicine Interest Group at ETSU, serving as the coordinator for student involvement in free clinics. I have also been able to make an impact through medicine in Cleveland, TN by way of the Good Samaritan Clinic. This is a free clinic in downtown Cleveland that I have been volunteering at for the past seven years. I have also been directly involved in the start-up of the Just Care clinic in Mountain City, TN, a medical student ran free clinic in rural Appalachia. I was also been able to spend time in rural Guatemala with a medical team from my undergraduate university helping diagnose, treat, and care for patients whom receive little to no regular healthcare. From my own first hand experiences in both Guatemala and my time spent in the Just Care and Good Samaritan Clinics, I have seen the impact that an inadequate health care system can have on a population. I hope to use my medical and public health training in areas that do not have adequate access to health
Patricia Bath is an African American woman who was called to” make the blind see”, a gift and anointing that could only be imparted by God himself. Patricia at a young age had an interest in science. Her mother who took notice of her interest and purchased a chemistry set for her and reinforced the pursuit of education. Her father, who was a newspaper columnist, taught Bath about the importance of exploring the world and new cultures. While developing and obtaining knowledge her craft and her academic career led her to meet professional people and obtain victories that “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (I Corinthians 2:9).
Homelessness is a critical issue that requires everyone’s attention. Hundreds of thousands of homeless people live on the streets as their shelter. Historically, homelessness has always been a problem in society. Homeless people were known as “the wondering poor”, “sturdy beggars”, and as “vagrants,” but it was not until the late 18th century that homelessness because noticeable to society. Homeless person is anyone who lacks adequate shelter, resources, and community ties. People who are homeless can be categorized as chronic deinstitutionalized or temporary
Apart from her academic accomplishments, Dr. Ochoa has dedicated her life to the service of others through medicine and mentorship. “I’ve known since I could remember that I wanted a career with the purpose of helping others. I have this burning passion for service work and I’m extremely lucky to be able to combine it with my love for medicine and education.” When away from the hospital, Dr. Ochoa spends her time mentoring minority and low-income students along with her husband and fellow HSF alum, Mauricio Segovia. Also, wanting to give back to her Latino community, Dr. Ochoa donates to scholarship organizations such as HSF and the New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation Scholarship.
The issue of chronic homelessness is not just a political or academic debate but has become evident from men and women living without homes in the streets of America. Homeless men and women
These three perceptions are distinctly different, but ultimately speak to the contextual nature of Black theology—rooting worship, adoration, and discipleship within the notion a (conscious) living G-d. The first perception explored is the image G-d adored through the lens of Sister Sweet and Mother Darling. At first glance, these women appear different in life style and theology—different churches, different abilities, and different approaches to discipleship. But upon further examination, one discovers the same paradigm at work. Both have lost children to AIDS. Both have committed themselves to a praxis centered theology to process their loss. Mother Darling is street missionary and Sister Sweet is a disabled woman confined to a wheel that feeds the birds and attends to the needs of the Little piece of Heaven Church. Both have found peace in their personalized work for the Lord. Their G-d is a “shelter in a time of storm.” The second perception is the image of G-d as seen through Deacon Zee. This G-d is one of salvation and complacence for Deacon Zee. The “White Jesus” he prayed to for his assistance in finding his copy of the Wall Street Journal—a nuanced symbol for prosperity. This G-d speaks to the corporate nature and element of
In our communication they made clear that they also looked at themes that did not match, such a voluntary leaving of the home. However, no member took into consideration metal health. All members also focused on the cause and problems of homelessness with no member viewing the possible solutions to it. An article by Bassuk, E., Rubin, L., & Lauriat, A. (1984). “Is homelessness a mental health problem?” Looked at Seventy-eight homeless men, women, and children staying at an emergency shelters and found The vast majority have severe psychological illnesses that remained untreated. The authors discuss the relationship of mental health policy to the homeless and suggest that shelters have become alternative institutions to meet the needs of mentally ill people who are no longer cared for by departments of mental health. The findings of the management of metal issues for those who are homeless is mirrored by the case studies of Stephanie’s and Teresa’s mental health playing a large role in their homelessness. Fischer, P. J., & Breakey, W. R. (1991) in their “The epidemiology of alcohol, drug, and mental disorders among homeless persons” look into the prevalence of alcohol, drug, and mental disorders and the characteristics of homeless substance abusers and persons with mental illnesses. They found that prevalence rates of disorders are much higher in homeless
As a future alumna, I will advance the mission of Mercy College by delivering health care services as a PA to under-served urban populations with compassion and sensitivity. Being raised in an under-served community and being a premed student in Harlem, NY, I understand the challenges of being a healthcare professional in the United States. In addition, being in a diverse environment have augmented my studies in public health, and have provided me with concrete examples of how individuals can benefit from caring, sensitive providers, and how communities suffer when adequate health care services are not available or affordable. I believe as a future student at Mercy College, I will be fortunate enough to learn about the social responsibility
earning an MPH degree in Public Health Administration; and the University of Alabama, where she earned a Master’s of Science in Human Nutrition. Currently she is pursuing a Dr.PH degree at Morgan State University. Her concentration is in Health Education and Health Promotion.
To begin with, it is important to start with the fact that more than half a million people in the United States are homeless and forced to live on the streets and either sleep in an unsheltered location, or at a housing project (emergency shelters, short-term transitional housing, or safe havens). Moreover, according to a Social Solutions’ article (2016), 15% of the homeless population are individuals who have experienced homelessness for a period longer than a year (chronic homelessness). It is because of those facts about homelessness that I had decided to volunteer at a faith-based temporary overnight shelter and subsequently record my experiences and what I observed during my visit.