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COMMUNICATION,
CONNECTION, AND UNDERSTANDING
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Emily
Williams
MS in Nursing Candidate – Yale
University School of Nursing
2008 HEART Scholar
“Health
disparities observed in the LGBTQ community are not simply from lack of
resources, they also stem from oppression and marginalization in
broader society. The unfortunate fact, however, is that
homophobia is not experienced equally by all people in the LGBTQ
community. It is specifically those people who also must contend
with physical disabilities, language barriers, racism, and any number
of other forms of discrimination who bear the brunt of homophobia --
and its negative health outcomes.”
- Emily Williams, 2008 HEART
Scholar
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ADVOCATE
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Emily has been a life-long advocate for the
marginalized and victimized, working to ensure that respectful care and
fair treatment, equal access to services, and personal circumstances
are respected in the course of service delivery.
To dovetail with patient advocacy, Emily works to
provide culturally-sensitive training to her colleagues, as
demonstrated with her creating and facilitating LGBT-specific
programming at Yale University. Additionally, she works to
promote recognition of LGBT youth as an important clinical population
with specialized health care needs and questions; to increase
providers' self-confidence in providing health care to LGBT youth; to
outline evidence-based practices that can lead to better heath
outcomes; and to facilitate communication between LGBT patients and
health care providers.
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RAISING VISIBILITY
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Improving the health of one sector of the community
improves the overall health of the entire community.
Emily has worked to develop focused outreach programs
and queer-oriented health education trainings, as she believes it is
the best way to serve the under-served and raise visibility of LGBTQ
lives. She has been praised for her insight, critical thinking,
and ability to conceptualize how to make the overall subject of LGBT
health and care delivery useful for the primary care clinician.
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“Since no one person or group can achieve equal rights, expand the
definition of a valid family, or dismantle the gender straightjacket
imposed from (before) birth alone, it is mandatory that we attack
negative attitudes and laws from all sides.”
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Emily Williams at a
Glance:
Home:
New Haven, CT
School:
Yale University School of Nursing
MS in Nursing Candidate
Expected Graduation – 2009
Past
Education:
Yale University School of Nursing
Certificate in Nursing
University of Chicago
B.A. - Mathmatics
Activities:
Medical Advocate for sexual assault
survivors
Sexual
health educator for MSM; recruiter for HIV vaccine study
Youth
Services Counselor/Advocate
Executive
Board - Student Diversity Action Committee (Co-Chair, LGBTQ Health
Subcommittee)
Awards:
Point
Foundation Scholar
National Merit Scholar
Phi Beta Kappa
Maroon Key Society
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Help Deserving Students
Like Emily Protect Your Health!
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Learn More About the LGBT
HEART Scholarship Fund!
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