Mitchell Brooks
He/Him
I am gay and I am a social and behavioral health researcher.//
Hi everyone! My name is Mitchell and I’m a research coordinator for an AIDS Service Organization in Washington D.C. My lived experience growing up as a Queer person in a poorer, semi-rural area has been crucial to my development as a researcher. Broadly, my research examines the cultural, economic, and political drivers of addictive behaviors among LGBTQ people, especially those in rural communities. I’m also interested in looking at the formal and informal ways that communities address these barriers.
I just graduated with my MPH a few months ago, so my current job has given me a ton of opportunities to explore different research methodologies and topics. I’m currently working on two projects which aim to promote PrEP initiation among Black MSM, and another epidemiological project focusing on Hepatitis C prevalence among Black MSM in our area.
Before starting my current role, I was an AmeriCorps service member at a harm reduction organization in Upstate New York while earning my MPH. I primarily worked in the syringe exchange and loved every minute of it! Community service and engagement have always been incredibly important to me, and I’d like to incorporate those practices into my future research.