Home Health Equity LGBTQ+ Health

The Unsung Intersection of Ballroom and Public Health

PHPod sat down with Jennifer Barnes-Balenciaga, director of the Crystal LaBeija Organizing Fellowship and Commissioner for Gender Equity in New York City, to discuss her work with health policy and the ballroom community. 

Fellows Connor McCombs, Bethany Hallenborg
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PHPod sat down with Jennifer Barnes-Balenciaga, director of the Crystal LaBeija Organizing Fellowship and Commissioner for Gender Equity in New York City, to discuss her work with health policy and the ballroom community.

Jennifer Barnes-Balenciaga is director of the Crystal LaBeija Organizing Fellowship and Commissioner for Gender Equity in New York City. She previously served as the first LGBTQ+ liaison in Atlanta, Georgia for State Representative Park Cannon. Jennifer has dedicated her life to ensuring the advancement of gender equity and inclusion for all people of the trans experience, as well as to advocating for an inclusive and informative HIV response. In 2022, she began working as a community organizer for Mpox resources in New York City. Through community and policy work, Jennifer aims to create opportunities for Black and Brown trans and gender non-conforming individuals. Tune into this month’s episode of PHPod to learn more about Jennifer’s work promoting equity in policy and research and her time in the ballroom community promoting public health.

Connor McCombs headshot

Connor McCombs

Fellow

Connor McCombs graduated from Boston University School of Public Health with his MPH in 2023 with a focus on health law and policy. As a student, he was a 2022 PHP writing fellow and co-host of season 3 of PHPod. He is interested in pharmaceutical access and health communication to improve inequities. Connor hopes to use his passion for language and narrative to improve health literacy.

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Bethany Hallenborg headshot

Bethany Hallenborg

Fellow

Bethany Hallenborg graduated from Boston University School of Public Health with her MPH in 2023 with a focus on infectious disease and global health. As a student, she was a 2022 PHP writing fellow and co-host of season 3 of PHPod. Her interests include health care and resource accessibility, health inequities specifically pertaining to people who are unhoused, infectious disease, and LGBTQ+ rights. Bethany works with non-profits in New Orleans specifically related to homelessness and resource access and in Pondicherry, India on health care and education.

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