Fellow in Focus: Adia Louden, MPH

My journey into violence prevention began with a passion for epidemiology and using data to tell compelling stories—stories that illuminate public health problems and guide meaningful solutions. This interest took a pivotal turn during an internship at the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, where I gained a deeper understanding of domestic violence as both a personal and systemic issue. That experience prompted me to reflect on its presence in my own family and community and to consider the broader public health steps needed to address its root causes.

When I began my doctoral program, my focus expanded from interpersonal violence to community and neighborhood violence. Immersing myself in research, I became drawn to understanding how structural factors—like neighborhood safety, systemic racism, and socioeconomic inequities—shape experiences of violence and safety for Black communities. This shift solidified my commitment to addressing violence on a broader scale, using both data and storytelling to center the lived experiences of those most impacted.

Each step in my journey has deepened my belief in the power of violence prevention and reduction to create safer, more just communities.

Currently, my dissertation project, Their Eyes Were Watching Oppression: An Examination of Perceived Childhood Neighborhood Safety & Its Effect on Violence in Adulthood, is my main focus. Through a mixed-methods approach, I’m exploring how Black youth perceive neighborhood safety during childhood and how those perceptions shape their experiences with community violence later in life. I find this work deeply exciting because it not only centers voices often left out of academic research but also has the potential to inform policy and intervention strategies that address structural violence.

Beyond my dissertation, I’m currently volunteering with Church World Service of Durham, teaching English to recently settled refugees in the NC area. These sessions remind me of the resilience of the human spirit and how micro acts of support can create macro ripples of empowerment, love, and community.

Before starting my PhD program, I worked as a data analyst for the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services. In that role, I collected and evaluated data on domestic violence, researched rehabilitative programs, and monitored compliance with evidence-based practices. This experience also laid a foundation for my commitment to combining research, storytelling, and advocacy to address pressing social justice issues.

Outside of my academic pursuits, I find a lot of joy in creative writing and storytelling, using my Instagram as a platform to reflect on public health, my own personal growth and healing journey, and the lived experiences of diverse Black people and communities. I also enjoy spending my time with friends and family,  taking naps, and moving my body.

I believe my ability to weave creativity and data-driven research into my life’s work makes me unique.  I bring a storyteller’s lens to just about everything that I do and as a result….raw feeling and courage. I’m also deeply grounded in my lived experience as a Black woman from the South, which drives my passion for centering historically marginalized voices and advocating for liberation and equity in this country.