2022 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 66
BY SENATOR BOUDREAUX
A RESOLUTION
To commend the 2021-2022 Inspiring Health Justice Residents and scholar-in-residence on
their residency collaboration of DESPAIR-ity: The Call of History to Pull Us
Forward.
WHEREAS, the mission of the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research
Center (MHHDRC) at Dillard University is to take a comprehensive approach to advancing
research across disciplinary areas, to enhance and promote coordination and collaboration
throughout the scientific community, and to improve the overall quality of health for racial
and ethnic minorities; and
WHEREAS, A Studio in the Woods, a program of Tulane University's ByWater
Institute, is one of the leading artistic and academic residency programs in the Gulf South
region, fostering creative responses to the challenges of our time by providing retreat to
artists, scholars, and the public; and
WHEREAS, the collaboration focuses on inequities in both our past and present, and
the responsibility we all have going forward toward awareness, education, and
transformation; and
WHEREAS, Kristi L. Anderson, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), developed the Health
Disparities Grant Program for the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School
of Medicine with the Interim Chancellor for the School of Medicine and the Associate Dean
for Research in response to the national call of awareness to and elimination of healthcare
disparities and the understanding and movement toward diversity, equity and inclusion; and
WHEREAS, during the Fall 2021 semester and the entire Spring 2022 semester,
Dr. Kristi Anderson, scholar-in-residence, has been working with four incredible Dillard
University artists-in-residence: Karen Grant-Anderson (Music), Zaria Ivory (Music),
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William Shelton (English), and Nailah Starks (English); and
WHEREAS, Dr. Kristi L. Anderson received her doctoral degree from the University
of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) in the College of Health Sciences with the concentration of
systemic studies, which has origins in marriage and family therapy, focusing on the diverse
principles of transform and change; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Anderson represented ULM in Berlin, Germany, where she was
selected to study in Hanover, Germany; she also participated as a student member of the
International Society for the Systems Sciences; she was nominated for Who's Who Among
Universities and Colleges and she was also inducted into Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society; and
WHEREAS, she currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Research for the
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University (LSU) Health
Sciences Center, Lafayette, Louisiana Campus and, in her role, she provides oversight of the
accreditation of graduate medical education (GME) and undergraduate medical education
(UME) programs on the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Lafayette
campus, working collaboratively with GME and UME offices in New Orleans and with
affiliated clinical partners; and she is also adjunct faculty for Tulane University School of
Medicine where she teaches in the Department of Family and Community Medicine; and
WHEREAS, Karen Grant-Anderson, is a New Orleans native, a gifted singer, and
at a very young age, she turned toward her gift of singing and discovered her own identity
through music, and through the years, the city's many cultural influences have shaped her
as an artist and a person; and
WHEREAS, Karen is a current full-time music industry major and psychology minor
at Dillard University; after obtaining her bachelor's degree, she plans to enter graduate
school to achieve her PhD in music therapy after which she plans to use her PhD to aid the
senior community with a better quality of life through interactive experiences that are
entertaining and therapeutic; and
WHEREAS, Zaria Ivory is a sophomore vocal performance major originally from
Oakland, California; was "singing before she could even talk" and she has made it her goal
to be a participant in every performance opportunity on the Dillard University campus to
help perfect her craft; and
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WHEREAS, her goal is to become a professional singer and build a musical and
business empire that spreads throughout many fields while pursuing one of her passions –
helping to build up the next generation with the goal of combining her passion for youth with
her love for the arts and create a nonprofit organization to help youth who are interested in
the fine arts; and
WHEREAS, William Shelton is an English major from Nashville, Tennessee, and
has a passion for creative writing – specifically play writing, short stories, and poetry; and
WHEREAS, William interned with New Orleans Writer's Workshop as a social
media and marketing intern, and recently his play "Yellow Dancer" was selected by the
Black Seed Project, presented by The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, and scheduled for
a live staged reading; and
WHEREAS, William is in his final year of his undergraduate studies and he hopes
to go to graduate school to further his studies in English and creative writing; and
WHEREAS, Nailah Starks is a junior English major from Amite, Louisiana, and she
has a passion for teaching, reading, and writing; her poetry has been published by 2019
Appelley Rising Stars Collection and the 2020 Upon Arrival Anthology; and
WHEREAS, her personal statement is to educate, influence, transform, and inspire
those who face adversity through her teachings, writings, and personal experiences; upon
graduation from Dillard University, Nailah is planning on attending an alternative teaching
certification program.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend the 2021-2022 Inspiring Health Justice Residents and scholar-in-
residence on their residency collaboration of DESPAIR-ity: The Call of History to Pull Us
Forward.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Kristi L. Anderson, PhD, Karen Grant-Anderson, Zaria Ivory, William Shelton, and
Nailah Starks.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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