Carlyncia McDowell has two goals with her work: exploring racial inequities within health and educational policies and supporting her students within the University of Georgia’s Institute for African American Studies (IAAS).
“I’ll take my time and my moments when I get home, but I know that when I step foot here, I really at least want to give to the students that are here,” McDowell said. “Letting them know that this space is a safe space. Safe space to come and cry, safe space to come and eat, safe space to come and talk.”
Navigating the Shifting Landscape of Higher Education
With new executive orders from the second Trump administration, McDowell faces a constant uncertainty about what it means to be in higher education and its impact on marginalized students.
These new executive orders include anti-DEI legislation, “Ending Racial Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” and the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), all of which directly impact topics that McDowell seeks to understand through her research.
“I like to tie in health policy and education policy together and research why,” McDowell said. “That’s what led me to the research instead of actually doing practical work that I originally thought I wanted to do.”
Why It’s Newsworthy: The current national political climate has caused significant changes in academia across university campuses, and this has impacted many individuals, including marginalized groups.
Research shows that racial inequities and lack of equal access to resources can cause a domino effect in other areas of life, including public health and education.
Just to have students come to me who are 18, 19, 20 feeling like, what’s the point? How can I continue to move on? Am I really valued in these spaces?” McDowell said.
“And to not really have those answers because in many ways I feel the same way. I wanted to work for the Department of Education — will I be able to do that? Will I really be able to teach?”
McDowell mentioned how discouraging it can be to have to stay up to date on the news for her research and continue to have these types of conversations with students.
She also pointed out the ways in which policymakers lack understanding of different communities and the impacts their policy can cause.
“Some people don’t realize ‘as I’m writing this policy’ or ‘as I’m advocating for this,’ that your values and what you believe is also showing through that. That might not encompass everybody it does impact.”
Her Upbringing and Influence on Teaching
McDowell grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, a city that was predominantly white and heavily influenced her upbringing.
She was no stranger to the reality of growing up with few role models that looked like her and a lack of representation in the books she read.
Her personal experiences facing overt racism and being one of 27 students of color in her graduating class of 326 pushed the Ph.D. student to recognize the importance of using her voice.
“I feel like the representation in general; it’s just important,” McDowell said. “So, I think me seeking out that representation, me going to a school where there were Confederate flags on people’s cars or different things of that nature, saying something to my teacher, and writing a whole paper about it, and letting people know how uncomfortable that made me, it made me understand that I have a voice.”
Creating a Safe Space for Black Students
McDowell reflects on her current situation, noting that not everything has been positive, particularly with the current political climate.
“I feel like various parts of my identity, and various parts of people that I care about identities are…attacked and undervalued,” McDowell said. “So it’s like, once again, not only am I trying to prove something to myself, you know, ‘I’m worthy of being here. I’m worthy of the research I’m doing. It’s valuable.’”
While the current political divide and its social impacts personally impact McDowell and her research, she seeks a way to create a safe haven for other Black students, recognizing that this space helped her process the new political changes.
Her dedication to students has had a profound impact.
Aaliyah Khaiphanliane, a second-year student studying African American Studies and Sociology, shared how McDowell’s support has shaped her experience within the Institute for African American Studies and UGA as a whole.
Khaiphanliane first met McDowell in the Introduction to African American Studies course, where McDowell served as her graduate teaching assistant. Since then, she has remained connected to McDowell, drawn by the consistent encouragement and inspiration she receives.
“Carly is just an all-around amazing person and in many ways, she’s what inspired me to get my Ph.D.,” Khaiphanliane said.
Seeing her hold her own spaces, where she’s very often the only one that looks like her, the confidence that she exudes when she enters a room and is able to state her views and opinions on things without being intimidated by anyone…I find it very inspiring.”
Most important, McDowell emphasizes the importance of respecting others and their opinions in her classroom because she believes that is the only way to find a common ground and help positively influence policy.
This is an open space, and although you might not like or you might not understand what somebody is saying, ultimately, when we do have these conversations, we have it with respect,” McDowell said.
Her ultimate goal is for people from various backgrounds or different beliefs to have respectful conversations that can lead to a compromise or change in actions because it’s necessary for society to move forward.
Shweta Krishnan is a junior majoring in journalism and political science at the University of Georgia.
Show Comments (0)