Uplifting Youth Voices for Mental Health

and Healing in the Midwest

The Curtis Center for Health Services Research and Innovation at the University of Michigan has awarded $15,000 to Drs. Camille R. Quinn and Donte T. Boyd—esteemed Faculty Affiliates—to launch a timely pilot study amplifying the lived experiences of Black youth and young adults in Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Central Ohio. This study explores how mental health, developmental assets, and healing practices intersect to illuminate both protective factors and challenges associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Driven by their joint commitment to community-driven research, this project centers the voices of young Black people ages 15–24 to explore how cultural, structural, and interpersonal supports shape pathways to wellbeing. By partnering with grassroots organizations, youth-serving systems and schools, they will gather critical insights into how assets and healing are cultivated amid adversity.

“We’re not just collecting data—we’re co-creating a future where every young person is seen, supported, and heard,” say the study's principal investigators.

Data from this pilot will lay the groundwork for broader, community-driven research that informs more responsive and sustainable suicide prevention and interventions for young Black people in historically under-resourced regions.

Curtis Center associate directors Anao Zhang (top-left) and Addie Weaver (top-right) and Curtis Center faculty affiliates Drs. Joe Himle (bottom-left) and Jennie Jester (bottom-right) recently received a three-year R34 grant from the National Cancer Institute entitled "Tailoring a fun and engaging tech-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy program for adolescents and young adults with hematological malignancies: A planning grant." This is a preparatory grant to support a sequential R01 application of a multi-center clinical trial to advance the psychosocial needs of adolescents and young adults living with cancer.  

Upcoming Events

Jaclynn Hawkins

Dr. Hawkins recently gave a talk (see photos above) titled, “GLP-1RAs and the Health-Disparity Divide–Access, Affordability, and Awareness,” at the American Diabetes Association’s 85th Scientific Sessions in Chicago.

Dr. Kattari with

SRG Collective

members at SSWR 2025

Curtis Center Doctoral Student Updates

Welcome to our three new Curtis Center Doctoral Students!

Elena Pokowitz

Maricruz Moya

Sherise McKinney

Alana Ewen

Dr. Ewen had a busy semester!

She graduated in May with a PhD in Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health.

She received the Barry Portnoy Dissertation Research Award in Behavioral and Community Health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health -- selected based on several criteria, most importantly, the methodological and analytic rigor of the proposed dissertation research.

Dr. Ewen also received the University of Maryland School of Public Health, Behavioral and Community Health Research Paper Award in March 2025 -- selected based on an article’s impact (e.g., moves the field forward) and student’s individual contribution.

She was Inducted into the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health in May 2025.



She received the Dissertation Presentation Award in April 2025: Second place winner across all UMD graduate student presenters, for her presentation titled: “A Multi-Method Study Investigating the Biopsychosocial Mechanisms Linking Racial Discrimination to Type 2 Diabetes Risk and Self-Management Behaviors Among Black Adults”.

Dr. Ewen was also a featured researcher spotlighted in the Healthier Black Elders Center’s (HBEC) Spring 2025 newsletter, published by the Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research (MCUAAAR).

Curtis Center Program Manager,

Caroline Landry, welcomed her

third child, Henry Jones Landry!

Big sisters, Josie and Olivia,

are smitten.

Nick Brdar, STaR Lab Manager,

accepted a Clinical Psychology PhD position at Louisiana State University. He will begin this fall and plans to wrap up his time at the STaR Lab in late July.

Curtis Center MSW and Research Assistant Student Updates

Congratulations to Alexis Buckley for graduating from University of Michigan with a BS in Biopsychology Cognition and Neuroscience. Alexis is working this summer as a Project Coordinator for Dr. Hawkins.

Corrine Hayes is a current MSW student and is working as a Research Assistant with Dr. Hawkins.

Jordan Joe is a current MSW student and is working as a Research Assistant with both Dr. Hawkins and Dr. Weaver.

Welcome to Laila Gislason!

Laila is an MSW Field Student with Dr. Weaver.

Congratulations to Yijin Wang on earning her MSW! Yijin is starting her Social Work PhD program at New York University this fall.

Burns, J. C., Sweet-Jemmott, L., Darbes, L., Talley, L. M., Wilson, D. M., Ploutz-Snyder, R., & Jemmott, J. B. (2025). Exploring condom use intentions among urban Black emerging adult men. Nursing Outlook.

Casanova, A. & Watkins, D. (2025). “Sometimes You Just Need to be Heard”: Forms of Social Support for Black College Men. In M. Lafrance, J. Deslauriers, G. Tremblay, & P. Hoebanx (Eds.), The Forgotten Realities of Men: Critical Reflections on Masculinity in Contemporary Society (pp. 58-82). UBC Press.

Ewen, A. M. (2025). The Influence of Racial Discrimination as a Chronic Stressor on Type 2 Diabetes Risk and Self-Management Behaviors among Black Adults: A Scoping Review. Current Diabetes Reports.

Fleming, P. J. (Forthcoming, October 14, 2025). Imagine Doing Better: Why policies backfire and how prevention thinking can change everything. Johns Hopkins University Press.

Flores, V. A., Silveira, S. L., Marquez, D. X., Kinnett-Hopkins, D., Miravalle, A., Sierra-Morales, F., Hernandez-Peraza, Z., & Motl, R. W. (2025). Rationale for a 4-month, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial to assess the Feasibility and Efficacy of a Remotely delivered exercise training intervention for Hispanics/Latinos with Multiple Sclerosis (FERLA MS). Pilot and Feasibility Studies.

Francis-Levin, N. (2025). Pre-viving cancer: Biosolidarity amongst young adult breast cancer (BRCA) gene carriers in the United States. General Anthropology.

Goodwill, J. R., & Taylor, H. O. (2025). Measuring Whether Gratitude and Loneliness Mediate the Link Between Non-organizational Religiosity and Suicidal Ideation: Evidence From Black Adults During COVID-19. Public Health Reports.

Gross, E. B., Kattari, S. K., Wilcox, R. Ernst, S., Steel, M., & Parrish, D. (2025). I've had several providers who recognize my humanity”: Exploring health/positive healthcare interactions of TGD students. In Woodford, M. R., Duran, A., Vo, T., Johnson, C. W., Airton, L., & Coulombe, S. (Eds.), Thriving on campus: Promoting the inclusion, academic development, and wellbeing of diverse 2SLGBTQ+ university and college students. Routledge.

Hendricksen, M., Boyer, J., Rafferty, M., Hohl, K., Graham, E. L., Balabanov, R., & Kinnett-Hopkins, D. (2024). Consultative, Proactive Physical Therapy in Early Multiple Sclerosis. International Journal of MS Care.

Hong, S., Ribaudo, J. M., Safyer, P., Routte, I. E., & Watkins, D. C. (2025). Advancing Psychodynamic-Based Clinical Social Work Practice to Address Structural Trauma: Integrating Neuroscience and Attachment Theory. Social Work.

Kattari, S. K. (2025). Embodying (in)valid identities: balancing betwixt and between being “enough.” In Iantaffi, A. (Ed.), Trans and disabled: An anthology of identities and experiences. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 

Lin, C. C., Kinnett-Hopkins, D., Alawamleh, A., Siemen, M., Lane, A., & Abou, L. (2024). Physical activity improves cardiovascular fitness and reduces cardiovascular risk factors in adults with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.

McGhee, C., Misiolek, B. A., Kattari, S. K., Tupper, C., & Chalker, L. (2025). Developing Trans Wellness, Trans Brilliance: a virtual peer-support wellness intervention by and for trans/gender diverse Michiganders. Health Promotion and Practice.  

Pokowitz, E. L., Ye, H., McInnis, M. G., Deldin, P. J., & O’Donnell, L. A. (2025). Mood Lifters for Bipolar Disorder: A Feasibility Study Investigating a Peer-Led Adjunctive Intervention for Bipolar Disorder. American Journal of Psychotherapy.

Quinn, C. R. (2025). Trauma, Justice, and Equity: Using Critical Theories and Concepts to Address Systemic Harm Among Youth Punishment System-Involved Black Girls. Behavioral Sciences.

Quinn, C. R. (2024). Black girls’ emotional regulation: Investigating the roles of parent and peer relationships, and neighborhood attachment. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.

Zhang, A., Urban-Wojcik, E., Seewald, M., & Zebrack, B. (2025). Mental health trajectories among US survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer as they age. JAMA Network Open.