Episode 56: Working Out While Black - w/ Dr. Rashawn Ray

In recent years, increasing attention has been given to identifying the social determinants of Black-White health disparities. For today’s episode, BhD explores the roles of place, socioeconomic status, and gender in shaping health behaviors and outcomes in the black community by interviewing Dr. Rashawn Ray—an Associate Professor of Sociology and the Executive Director of the Lab for Applied Social Science Research at the University of Maryland, College Park. They begin by discussing how intersectional identities (24:35), neighborhood racial composition (29:00), individual mindsets (33:12), and racial-profiling (34:39) shape health behaviors. They then have a conversation about health, neighborhood safety, and the policy implications of place (39:00). Next, they discuss body image in the black community, the implications of the “thick” movement for black women’s health (44:33), and the appropriateness of using BMI as a measure of health in the black community (47:57). They close by discussing policy solutions related to health and physical activity (1:02:36).
Other Topics Include:
00:30 - Catch up with Ty and Daphne
01:56 - “Oh Lawd” News
17:05 - Introduction of the Topic
18:50 - Learn more about Dr. Ray
22:24 - An intersectional approach to research
53:30 - Dr. Ray's Research on police encounters and body-worn cameras
1:07:27 - Ty and Daphne Reflect on the Interview
Resources:
Dr. Rayshawn Ray’s website - http://rashawnray.com/bio/; Twitter: @SociologistRay
Article: “Black people don't exercise in my neighborhood” - http://rashawnray.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Black-People-Dont-Exercise-in-my-Neighborhood_SSR_Ray.pdf
Article: “An Intersectional Analysis to Explaining a Lack of Physical Activity Among Middle Class Black Women” - http://rashawnray.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/An-Intersectional-Analysis-to-Explaining-the-Lack-of-Physical-Activity-among-Middle-Class-Black-Women_Ray.pdf
“Apple delays update for FaceTime eavesdropping bug”- https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/01/tech/apple-facetime-bug-update/index.html
A&E’s PD Cam - https://www.aetv.com/shows/pd-cam