Heal Our Earth: Recent Episodes
Mia Dillon
Knowledge and belief fuel action. Heal Our Earth is meant to share ideas: We elevate transformative solutions to right our relationship with the Earth and fulfill our potential for a sustainable future. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mia-dillon7/support
Study after study, we find that communities that have more drinking water violations are disproportionately communities of color and of lower socioeconomic status (SES), which takes into account income, education, and occupation. Why? Enter Dr. Yolanda McDonald, the lead investigator of the Vanderbilt University Drinking Water Justice Lab (DWJL).
The DWJL is developing a geospatial database in order to understand drinking water injustice at the community level so that researchers, activists, and citizens can work with community water systems to understand their system's needs and help prevent violations.
Dr. McDonald’s research uses geospatial approaches to investigate human health outcomes. She focuses on where and why health inequities and health disparities exist using geographic information science theory, and methods informed by environmental and social justice frameworks, social determinants of health, and the theory of intersectionality. She is passionate about mentoring students and experiential learning opportunities. Dr. McDonald has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters in the areas of healthcare accessibility, water justice, and climate change and human health.
Dr. McDonald earned her M.A. in Sociology from the University of Texas at El Paso with a focus on human health outcomes, associated with lack of access to a public water supply in Colonias, located along the U.S.-Mexico border. She earned her Ph.D. in Geography from Texas A&M University with a focus on health inequities associated with accessibility to preventive cervical cancer healthcare services in New Mexico, USA. She is a Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellow.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mia-dillon7/support
Let's talk about the relationship between environmental justice and advocacy work, why a historical perspective matters when we look at injustice, and what it means to be a conduit. Joining us in this installment is Dr. Yolanda McDonald, the lead investigator of the Vanderbilt University Drinking Water Justice Lab.
Dr. McDonald’s research uses geospatial approaches to investigate human health outcomes. She focuses on where and why health inequities and health disparities exist using geographic information science theory, and methods informed by environmental and social justice frameworks, social determinants of health, and the theory of intersectionality. She is passionate about mentoring students and experiential learning opportunities. Dr. McDonald has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters in the areas of healthcare accessibility, water justice, and climate change and human health.
Dr. McDonald earned her M.A. in Sociology from the University of Texas at El Paso with a focus on human health outcomes, associated with lack of access to a public water supply in Colonias, located along the U.S.-Mexico border. She earned her Ph.D. in Geography from Texas A&M University with a focus on health inequities associated with accessibility to preventive cervical cancer healthcare services in New Mexico, USA. She is a Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellow.
Part 2 coming next week. Stay tuned!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mia-dillon7/support
To build a better reality, let's look holistically at the problems we face now. Environmental health and environmental justice are frameworks that we can use to better understand the nature of the environmental issues we face. In this episode we talk about root cause, power dynamics, and how some of the realities we face today evolved. We ask who's being the most hurt by negative and evolving environmental conditions, and who's the source behind these conditions to begin with. Armed with these questions and tools to answer them, we'll be ready to take on environmental problems - and solutions.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mia-dillon7/support
How can we generate long lasting change? How do we stop reinforcing the structures that already exist and start building new ones? We're getting more philosophical with this one. In this episode I break down how I think long lasting change can be achieved. I share my inspirations with you and invite you to take 15 minutes to reflect with me about how we can stop waiting and start now to go about building a better world.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mia-dillon7/support
Hi, I'm Mia, and I believe in the sustainable future. In this short pilot I introduce myself and get deep with you about how my beliefs led me to create this project. This is an open call to anyone who believes in the power of sustainability, science, and belief. If you find yourself nodding or feeling a desire to act, please come along with me on this journey to help Heal Our Earth.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mia-dillon7/support