Broadly Bryttani’s research interests lie at the intersection of extreme weather/climate change and the health of Black mothers in the Southeastern US. Her Master’s Thesis investigated the relationship between extreme temperatures (ET) and adverse birth outcomes for Black women in North Carolina. Pregnant women, infants, and African American populations have been identified as vulnerable populations when it comes to climate-health-related impacts. However, studies have yet to examine Black pregnant women in their analysis of ET and birth outcomes. For her dissertation, she intervenes in this work by focusing on disparities in Black mothers’ birth outcomes. Specifically, she draws on Black Geographies scholarship – the union of embodied Black knowledge and exploration of alternative approaches to place where Black lives can thrive — to encourage her to look beyond traditional quantitative data sources and seek the expertise of Black individuals working in what she considers to be part of Black birthing ecosystems including but not limited to, black doulas/midwives, birthing individuals, and members of their families. Additionally, these interventions align with the reproductive justice movement, as organizers and practitioners evolve towards more holistic, community-based reproductive healthcare that transcends traditional western medicine by accounting for the lived experiences and environments of those giving birth.
Geography graduate student Bryttani Wooten earns an NSF Graduate Fellowship
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