Read the full interview on the School of Public Health website. Start reading below…
For Derek Jennings, Quapaw and Sac and Fox, improving health equity among Indigenous people starts by building strong relationships with their communities. Jennings, an assistant professor in health systems and population health, is the University of Washington School of Public Health’s inaugural associate dean for Indigenous affairs and engagement. This position reflects SPH’s recommitment to authentic engagement with Tribal communities, introducing Indigenous ways of knowing into work within the School to create a more supportive and robust community for Native faculty, staff and students in the health sciences at the UW. Jennings envisions his new role as helping to build these meaningful connections and create space for Indigenous thoughts, ideas and people within our institutions.
UW SPH sat down with Jennings to learn more about his thoughts on how to improve Indigenous health equity, what he hopes to accomplish in his new role, and the importance of including Indigenous health in research and training for our future public health work force.
What drew you to the field of public health?
My dad worked for various tribal entities, so I grew up spending time with different Native communities across the United States. Some of the social ills I saw made me realize these aren’t things we’re born with; they are a product of our history and colonization. The interaction with the Western world created many, if not all, of these social ills that exist in Native communities.
I watched how people with certain health conditions in my family operated and wondered, “What does that mean?” Later in life, I realized they were possibly induced by certain behaviors. I saw some substance abuse growing up, and wanted to figure out what the causes were, how could I get a family member to stop abusing alcohol. I knew these were good people, smart people, but they had health issues that consumed their lives. I wanted to solve those kinds of problems that were always there, but I was also proud of where I came from, the people I knew and how they survived various tragedies in their lives.
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