Hey friends!
My name is Rianna and I am new to the BoostHER team as a blog writer for the 2021/22 term. I am beyond excited to share my thoughts with you all and develop a community and network with such an amazing mission of empowering women!
A little bit about myself - I am going into my fourth year at Western with an Honours Specialization in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies and a Major in Criminology. I am hoping to pursue my Masters degree next year, and then hopefully law school if all goes well. I am also currently working on starting up some research for my upcoming Honours Thesis. While I haven’t completely narrowed down my research yet, I am leaning towards topics surrounding the treatment of minorities (specifically Black, Indigenous, and lesbian women) within the healthcare system. This was inspired after I took GSWS 2244, Women and Health, last year and got to learn so much about how people from marginalized communities are detrimentally affected because of the treatment they receive in our healthcare system, resulting in gross amounts of disproportionate health conditions.
Aside from academics, you can usually find me binge-watching Netflix. My top shows include (but are not limited to): Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder, and On My Block. I recently became a huge basketball fan and am rooting for the Phoenix Suns in the current finals (go Suns!). I am also currently the AVP of Events on Western’s Black Future Lawyers (BFL), so here’s a shameless plug: if any of you who are interested in law would like to come to any of our events or have any questions, feel free to reach out!
I joined BoostHER because as soon as I discovered the group and everything that it stood for, I knew that it was something I wanted to be a part of. As a woman of colour striving towards a career in a field dominated by White males, organizations such as BoostHER are especially important to me. I think it is so important to be having these conversations, sharing experiences, and developing a network where we can combat the struggles that are all too-familiar and swept under the rug within professional fields. Writing has always been something I am very passionate about so I am beyond fortunate and grateful for the opportunity to combine my two passions into one - intersectional feminism and writing! I can’t wait to see what the upcoming year has in store and I am excited to connect with you all and hopefully provide some insight and help in the process!