My name is Jasmine Daniel, and I am a rising senior majoring in Psychology and Global Health (expected graduation: December 2022). I am passionate about global mental health, community-based participatory research, and the cultural-adaptation of interventions to ensure effectiveness and equity across contexts. As an Ethiopian-American woman, my interests are greatly informed by my cultural values related to community, respect, and empathy. In my free time, you can find me exploring creativity through multicultural dance, trying new vegan recipes, or enjoying an Ethiopian coffee ceremony with my family and friends.

 

This summer, I am partnering with Dr. Eve Puffer, a global mental health researcher at Duke University, and Dr. Wanda Boone, founder of Together for Resilient Youth (T.R.Y.) in Durham, NC, to continue the implementation of a family-strengthening program, Coping Together. Adapted from a model carried out in Kenya, this intervention addresses the burden that COVID-19 has placed on families in Durham through 8 sessions of peer-led discussions to help families cope with their stressors. Caregivers and youth learn effective communication and problem-solving strategies to apply to their own families and communities. 

 

Coping Together has been carried out successfully before and will be offered to a third set of families; this summer, I will be a supportive undergraduate research assistant for Coping Together administration and data collection. My role will be assisting my supervisors by supporting facilitators, conducting post-intervention interviews, interpreting and organizing data, and shadowing my mentors to gain skills in community outreach and evidence-based intervention implementation.