RESEARCH

In a study by researchers including Associate Professor Spring Cooper and doctoral students Ingrid Williams and Aisha King, over 55% of parents and caregivers in the Northeast and Southeast U.S. expressed reluctance about vaccinating their children—a trend that has intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic.

OP-ED

In an op-ed for Ms. Magazine, Ira Memaj, PhD candidate and CUNY SPH adjunct professor, examines how proposed cuts to food assistance programs disproportionately harm Black and brown women-led households. Memaj argues that threatening SNAP benefits is not about fiscal responsibility but reproductive control, with severe health and economic consequences for vulnerable families and communities.

LETTERS

We’re honored to share a congratulatory letter from Senator Kirsten Gillibrand recognizing the launch of the Byllye Avery Professorship in Sexual and Reproductive Justice — a milestone affirming CUNY SPH’s leadership in advancing health equity and reproductive rights.

The Global 16 Days Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign is now a year-round initiative called #365ToEndGBV, centering grassroots organizing, bodily autonomy, and solidarity across regions. What started as a 16 day campaign running annually from November 25 to December 10, is now active year-round reflecting our fellow activists' unending commitment to the cause.

We’re excited to share a new communications toolkit, including messages, social media templates, and additional resources for activists to use throughout the campaign year.

Join us from November 25, 2025 – November 24, 2026 to build a full year of global solidarity.

Learn more about the campaign and access the toolkit here.

Diana Romero, professor of community health and social sciences, and Danielle Greene, executive director of state and local public health initiatives, recently represented CUNY SPH and the SRJ Hub at the SOMOS Inc. 2025 conference in Puerto Rico.

They joined public health researchers, advocates, and policy leaders from Berkley College, and and New York State elected officials for a powerful panel on reproductive justice across New York and Puerto Rico.

Romero and Greene’s presentation, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Social Justice: Inequities and Leadership, explored inequities in Hispanic/Latiné communities, as well as new opportunities for leadership development and needed research through the Sexual and Reproductive Justice Hub and the groundbreaking new MPH in SRJ at CUNY SPH.

See the full presentation from Romero and Greene here.

Our team was busy at the American Public Health Association's Annual Meeting in Minneapolis this November! Terry McGovern, Danielle Greene, Diana Romero, and Naana Dei led four presentations focused on building the next generation of sexual and reproductive justice leadership.

The sessions covered critical ground for SRJ advocates: making impact through evidence-based and creative advocacy approaches, seeding research that centers justice frameworks, and equipping emerging leaders with the evidence, skills, and inspiration they need to advance SRJ work. McGovern's presentation on strategies to improve healthcare delivery to women and girls affected by conflict drew particularly strong attendance, reflecting the urgent need for SRJ perspectives in humanitarian and conflict settings.

These presentations represent the Hub's ongoing commitment to not just conducting research, but actively developing the field's capacity to create meaningful change. We're excited to continue this work and to support the growing network of SRJ advocates and researchers who are shaping the future of reproductive health and rights.

APHA attendees can access recordings of these presentations here.

CUNY SPH and the SRJ Hub are seeking an accomplished scholar and leader to serve as the inaugural Byllye Avery Professor of Sexual and Reproductive Justice. This endowed professorship honors the legacy of activist Byllye Avery and will advance research, teaching, and advocacy that center equity, community, and justice.

WEBINAR

Mobile health apps often collect sensitive user information, creating risks when data are misused or insecurely stored. Reproductive health apps in the U.S. raise heightened concerns due to shifting regulations after Roe v. Wade.

In this presentation, Assistant Professor Karmen Williams discusses a study that evaluated four popular apps—two U.S.-based and two EU-based—using the THESIS tool, analyzing privacy policies and legal contexts. Findings revealed inconsistent protections, third-party tracking, and transparency gaps. Recommendations highlight best practices for users and developers to strengthen data privacy and security.