Meet the Staff

 

Meet Kiristen Hubbard!

Kiristen is a Resource Coordinator for the Inclusion and Equity Education (IEE) department. She is a second-year master's student in the Forensic Psychology program in DU’s GSPP. Kiristen is from Romulus, Michigan.

She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minors in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Wayne State University in December of 2020. During her time at Wayne State, she was a member of the following organizations and committees: Community of Scholars, the African American Psychology Student Organization (AAPSO), Justice Society, Student Activities Funding Board (SAFB), Sociology Club, Criminal Justice Chairs Council, and the Welcome Black Planning Committee; she was an outside student for the inaugural cohort of the National Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program. Hubbard was also one of the student leaders chosen to study abroad in Israel and Palestinian territories, to learn more about the Israeli and Palestinian conflict.

Hubbard completed research as a McNair Scholar focusing on effective rehabilitation programming within correctional institutions and its impact on recidivism rates, as well as on the relationship between exclusionary practices and zero tolerance policies and the school-to-prison pipeline. Kiristen is passionate about working with marginalized populations. She co-founded two community service initiatives, Kings and Queens Scholarship Ball and #ProjectFEM (Feminine Essential Materials).


Meet Maria England!

Maria is a Resource Coordinator for the Inclusion and Equity Education (IEE) department! Maria is a second-year master’s student in the Social Work program in DU’s GSSW. Maria is from Ionia, Michigan.

She received her Bachelor’s in Psychology at the University of Michigan- Flint. She has a passion for helping individuals in the homeless community which stems from her time spent in Flint, MI. In her free time, Maria enjoys listening to music and traveling.


Popular posts from this blog

Strong Black Woman Syndrome by Kiristen Hubbard

  Hold your hand up and put a finger down if you’ve ever said these statements or had these experiences. “I’m okay because I have to be”. Never processing emotions because you have to keep it together for those around you. Never allowing yourself to break down because if you’re breaking down then who is being strong? Working through the pain because letting things affect you shows weakness. “If I don’t do it, it just won’t get done”. How many fingers do you still have up? Now take a second, how many fingers do you think the Black women in your life would have up? One of the first words that we as Black women tend to describe ourselves with is strong, when what we are really saying is that we are resilient and often making sacrifices for those around us. Fighting daily battles of systematic oppression and disadvantages all while trying to manage our personal lives. Our strength is often equated with our work ethic and ability to keep pushing, it’s pretty much the foundation for Bl...
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Resources for this week's Blog!

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   This week we read a great piece from Kiristen about Strong Black Woman Syndrome! Below I have attached some resources for individuals struggling with setting boundaries and mental illness. There are other blog posts, podcasts and more!  Therapy for Black Girls Dr. Joy Harden Bradford releases a podcast every week that is dedicated to "... encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls." This side will guide you on how to find a therapist that is best fit for you and your needs. Online MSW Programs "... providing effective services for people of color requires acknowledging and understanding their different lived realities." This website offers different resources to help people of color find therapists. There is also a section that talks about different podcasts around people of color who also struggle with a mental illness.  -Online MSW Programs  Black Girl Lost Keys "... but I can tell you with absolute certainty that you will come out on the oth...
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A College Student's Vote by Caleb Smith

When I am asked what what got me engaged in politics, my mind flashes to the 2016 general election. In the weeks leading up to the big day, I remember watching the news with my grandma and grandpa; I like to credit them as the main reason I became so interested in politics. As a 13-year-old, I knew how important this election would be. As the votes on election night started to roll in, all I could feel was anxiety. As midnight approached, each dump of votes became more and more crucial to deciding a winner. It wasn’t until about 3:00 a.m when news networks began to predict that Donald Trump would become the next president of the United States. Frustration and confusion began to flood my mind. As a white man in a position of privilege, I feared for how my friends of color and others who are taken advantage of would be treated for the next four years. At that moment, I made it my goal to become engaged in politics to force change and fight for those without a voice.   As you may ha...
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