MSTProfile: Stirling Argabright (G1)
Introducing MSTProfile: Pieces written by students about their life outside of the MSTP
Growing up on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay, I learned early that the world is one of ecosystems. Guided by the interests of my parents – an environmental educator and a professional gardener – I became involved in environmental advocacy at a young age. Throughout my higher education, I’ve become better at finding the intersection between that interest in environmental justice and the drive that pulled me toward medicine. I double majored in neuroscience and environmental science in college and grew pretty knowledgeable about the connections between our world’s widespread environmental degradation and the increasing barriers to our patients leading healthy and fulfilling lives.
When I moved to Nashville, I was eager to become involved in the local scene. One of the first people I met was Jaffee Judah, executive director of Recycle and Reinvest, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring young Nashvillians to become stewards of their often under resourced communities. Jaffee stood out as someone to learn from right away. He is an East Nashville native, beloved by his community, and has leveraged his lived experiences and universal respect to empower and revitalize communities throughout the Nashville metro. And like so many environmentalists today, Jaffee and his team do not work in a silo; they are wholly conscious of the deep history of racial oppression and disenfranchisement in Middle Tennessee and recognize the impacts of environmental injustice as a residual symptom of that larger problem. As such, Jaffee uses his passion for sustainability as a vehicle to empower neighborhoods to take communal ownership over their public spaces and find pride in revitalizing their communities, countering those historical power structures both directly and symbolically.
And of course, Jaffee isn’t the only one in this space. There is a strong web of grassroots organizations in the Nashville metro which complement each other’s missions to counter the modern impacts of decades of redlining, racism, and marginalization. I’ve been lucky enough to spend time with many of these community leaders, learning from the amazing people who make the work happen. This has led me back into the academic sphere with a novel point of view, where I’ve been able to find a community and some agency in the increasingly dire political moment. Going forward, I’m excited to have the opportunity to take on leadership with Dr. Carol Ziegler and her team at the Planetary Health Policy and Innovation Lab, where I’ll be able to continue to work at the intersection of environmental justice, health, and community empowerment as I complete my doctoral training.
If you are reading this and interested in being involved in any of this work, please reach out to mdphd@vanderbilt.edu to connect with Stirling!
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints and official policies of Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, or the Vanderbilt MSTP.