2026-2027 TMA Civic Education Sessions - Session III

November 17, 2026 @ 6:00PM — 7:30PM Eastern Time (US & Canada) Add to Calendar

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Student Research as Civic Engagement: Aaron Williams’ Journey in Studying Public Health, Black Food Ecologies & Storytelling

JOIN STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE REGION TO LEARN ABOUT THE "WHAT," "HOW," AND "WHY" OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

The purpose of Transform Mid-Atlantic's (TMA) Civic Education Sessions is to connect first generation and limited-income students (and any other student who wants to participate!) affiliated with colleges and universities throughout the Mid-Atlantic region to engage in dialogue and co-learning about a variety of topics related to the public purposes of higher education. Through these sessions, participants will develop a deeper understanding of civic and community engagement, their agency as leaders and community members, as well as practical knowledge and skills that can be applied to their campus and community experiences across a variety of topics and issues.

Ultimately, the sessions seek to empower participants to identify how their academic and co-curricular interests, passions, and skills can responsibly be used to contribute toward more just and democratic communities.

About the Session:

During this session, participants will learn about how community-engaged and participatory research at the undergraduate and graduate levels can become a form of civic and community engagement and action.

Aaron Williams, a recent Master of Public Health graduate from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health will share how his research about Black storytelling within the context of public health “has the potential to more effectively shape individual and community-level interventions— potentially working to challenge overtly harmful and racist narratives that flattens, and pathologizes, the dynamic, storied lives of Black people existing at the margins within food ecologies (BFE).” Aaron will share the "why” and “how” behind his research, and his perspective on how student scholarship can and should be an important tool for students committed to improving the civic life of their neighborhoods, institutions, and communities.

Learning Objectives: By participating in this session, students will:


  • Learn about an example of community-engaged student research
  • Connect your interests to potential research questions on your campus / within your community
  • Understand and apply the terms “community-engaged research” and “participatory action research”

Guest Speaker:

Aaron Williams is a Miami native with deep roots in AfroCarolina, Haiti, and Lincolnton, GA, a child of the South and grandson of cooks, farmers, and Black landowners. A queer Black chef, plant enthusiast, and cultural memory worker, he holds a Master of Public Health in Food Systems from Johns Hopkins University, where his capstone examined participatory frameworks, including participatory action research, story mapping, and digital storytelling, as tools for restoring agency and repositioning power. Aaron spent 8 years across North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Durham, and Greensboro, growing, cooking, and learning in the community. He has worked with organizations across East Durham, focusing on mutual aid networks, community gardens, and herbal medicine projects.


Currently based in West Baltimore's Sandtown-Winchester, Aaron cultivates tangible spaces where growing, cooking, and storytelling become acts of communal remembrance, reclaiming narrative, and reimagining equitable food futures. Guided by joy and collective care, he seeks to participate in building systems that empower Black communities and promote cultural continuity.

You can find Aaron in the trees, reading Octavia Butler, and in the kitchen creating magic.

By registering for this event, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the terms outlined in the following event disclaimer and waiver.
I hereby grant Transform Mid-Atlantic (TMA) the unrestricted right and permission to record, photograph, film, and/or otherwise capture my image, likeness, voice, or appearance in any media format. I further grant TMA the right to reproduce, use, exhibit, display, distribute, broadcast, and create derivative works from these recordings or images for any lawful purpose in connection with TMA’s mission and activities.

This includes, but is not limited to, use in educational materials, promotional content, publications, social media, and other public media platforms, as determined appropriate by TMA. I understand that I may be identifiable in such materials.

I waive any right to inspect or approve the final products or the specific uses of such recordings or images. I further waive any rights, claims, or interests I may have in connection with the use of my likeness, including any right to compensation.
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