Our Mission

At the heart of our lab’s work is a commitment to investigate structural and social determinants of racial and gender health inequities. Our research is grounded in a critical intersectionality lens, which seeks to better understand the role of interlocking systems of oppression on the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Our research projects span a range of topics—from the impact of gendered racism on the health and well-being of women of color, the impact of chronic stress on maternal health outcomes, and community-driven interventions—all grounded in the pursuit of equity and justice. We aim to produce actionable research that informs policy, practice, and social justice.

Specifically, our research examines two interrelated areas: (1) the intersection of racism and sexism experienced by women of color, and (2) the influence of subtle forms of racism experienced by students of color. Our primary area of research applies intersectionality theory to investigate the influence of racism and sexism on Black women and other women of color. Within this line of research, Dr. Lewis developed the Gendered Racial Microaggressions Scale for Black Women (Lewis & Neville, 2015), which is a self-report instrument to measure subtle gendered racism. In addition, our lab investigates the influence of gendered racism on mental health (depression, anxiety, traumatic stress) and physical health (self-reported physical health, salivary cortisol) among Black women. We also examine resistance, healing, and protective factors that buffer individuals against the negative effects of gendered racism, such as collective coping strategies, gendered racial identity, and radical healing. Our secondary line of research utilizes qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches to investigate the influence of racial microaggressions on the mental health and well-being of students of color.