Doing IT for Ourselves: Black Women, Salons & the Science of Health Equity — Episode 4

About this episode

The episode discusses how Black women and beauty salons are pivotal in advancing health equity and sexual health through community partnerships.

In this season finale, host Niasha Fray, MA, MSPH returns with Dr. Schenita D. Randolph, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN and Dr. Ragan Johnson, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC — the Nurse Scientists leading the HEEAT Research Lab at Duke University School of Nursing. Together, they explore how Black women, beauty salons, and community-rooted partnerships are transforming nursing science and advancing sexual health equity across North Carolina. ⭐ Top 3 Topics We Explore in This Episode 1. The Power of Beauty Salons in Community-Centered Nursing Science Why salons remain trusted places for connection, truth-telling, and health conversations — and how the HEEAT Lab partners with stylists without adding burden, extracting labor, or disrupting culture. 2. UPDOs Protective Styles: A Culturally Grounded HIV Prevention Model for Black Women How this community-informed intervention works, what stylists are already doing as advocates, the role of choice and autonomy, and how eligible NC salons can join the UPDOs study. 3. Freedom, Trust & Doing IT for Ourselves A candid conversation about self-protection, sexual health freedom, and why Black women deserve access to tools and information that don’t depend on…

People in this episode

Host: Niasha Fray

Guests: Dr. Schenita D. Randolph, Dr. Ragan Johnson

Topics covered

• Black women and health equity
• Beauty salons and nursing science
• Community-rooted partnerships
• HIV prevention models
• Self-protection and sexual health

Keywords

• Black women
• health equity
• beauty salons
• nursing science
• HIV prevention
• community health
• self-protection
• sexual health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: HEEAT Research Lab, Duke University School of Nursing, UPDOs Protective Styles Study