We are happy to welcome Jericho to the PAN team. Jericho (she/her) is currently completing her MPH at the University of Victoria and is completing her practicum with PAN on the Research and Evaluation team. She previously completed a BSc in Biomedical Science at the University of Ottawa in 2020 and has been working in and around sexual health and harm reduction since then. Jericho is new to the research world but is loving it and is grateful for the learning opportunities, guidance, and encouragement she’s been given thus far. Read about other members of our team in the Meet the People at PAN series.
What sparked your interest in working in HIV, hepC and harm reduction?
What a hard thing to pin down! The more I’ve worked in sexual health and harm reduction, the more difficult it is to picture myself in any other sphere. I think this feeling really solidified after working at an abortion clinic and then working with AVI in harm reduction training. There are all kinds of ways that our colonial, social systems and institutions marginalise people who need the most support. Any rights and supports people are afforded feel tenuous; no person should have to deal with this kind of precarity. The least I can do is work and collaborate with community and my peers to make some change.
What’s an exciting thing you are working on now?
I’m currently working on my practicum doing an environmental scan of social isolation programs to bring some suggestions and ideas to future focus group research with the TIE study. I’m really excited to see where this project lands, I’ve already been learning a lot.
What are you looking forward to in your work over the next year?
So much. Since I’ll soon be finishing up my MPH, there’s lots of exciting changes for me ahead! First and foremost, there’s lots to do for the TIE study that I’m looking forward to taking part in and learning all about.
If you had unlimited funds, what parts of community work would you invest in? (research, outreach, training, etc.)
If “complete, decolonised structural overhaul” was an option, I would say that. Until there are major changes, outreach, always! Outreach workers are my favourite people. Outreach is the best way to build meaningful relationships with community, to see and listen to what people actually need, and I think it’s easiest to be adaptable to people’s changing needs and priorities through outreach work. Give them all the money!
If you were able to choose, what is the natural talent or superpower you’d like to be gifted with and why?
I wish I had the superpower of living way longer! There’s too many things I want to learn and do.