Directory Entry For: Jelani Kerr

Biography

Jelani Kerr is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences.  He is also a Commonwealth Scholar within the Commonwealth Institute of Kentucky.  His research focuses on HIV vulnerabilities of young people in the African Diaspora in the US and Canada.  Specifically, he investigates behavioral and social determinants that influence HIV/AIDS inequities.  His work extends beyond measuring disparities to reducing them through multidisciplinary collaborations to develop and evaluate community-focused interventions.  He received his MSPH and PhD in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior from the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina.  He also holds a BS in Biology from Fort Valley State University.   

Research Interests

My work mainly entails identifying individual, social, and structural factors that increase HIV vulnerability for African Diasporic populations in the United States and Canada.  This work goes beyond measuring inequities, to developing strategies to address them.  In particular, there is emphasis on creating and evaluating arts-based programming (e.g. monologues, visual arts) and media products (multimedia campaigns, podcasts, documentaries) to intervene on inequities.  These are often done in partnership with community-based organizations and community actors.

Degrees and Certifications

Publications

All Scholarly and Creative Works