An Identity Crisis for Sickle Cell Disease in Brazil In recognition of Sickle Cell Awareness month, I am delighted to share a digital project titled “An Identity Crisis for Sickle Cell Disease in Brazil.”  This can be viewed in English and Portuguese and was created to give something tangible back to the communities in Brazil […]

I was asked by the ladies of The Wandering Scholar to contribute to their podcast about travel. Let my quiet storm voice soothe you as you learn more about my journey of being a researcher who has SCD-while-traveling and how to be a supportive travel partner for someone who has a chronic illness. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-we-wander/id1451558820?i=1000442305295

I was working on Gilberto’s narrative last night. I’m profiling his story in my 3rd chapter with 5 others to help explain how skin color across the Brazilian phenotypic continuum influences one’s relationship with their sickle cell disease and the policy around it. I wanted to make sure I was spelling his last name right […]

As part of a capstone project for my MPH program many years ago, I developed a health education program called “Don’t Let the Sickle Stop You.”  It was part tongue in cheek, but also a message I thought was important especially for youth who so often take on a fatalistic mentality when growing up with […]

I’ve been watching the movement of Beautiful in Every Shade, brainchild from my friend Carlton Mackey, grow from afar this past year.  As a collaborator to the umbrella project of 50 Shades of Black, I am invested in the vision of everyone knowing how beautiful they are, no matter the hue or shade.  It seems […]

I just wrote this as a status update and I thought…I should put this somewhere.  My project is not comparative, but I just can’t ignore how Brazilians find utility in the description of the slave trade when talking about sickle cell. It will forever be interesting to me that even in the most clinical of […]

When my host and her family and I walked back to the car.  I told them thank you for the view.  The son, said don’t thank us, thank God.  Indeed.

i am sitting by the window working (well, blogging at the moment).  i have just watched/listened to early evening rainfall and have found the Brazilian arts station where the last show was the sound of just the brushstrokes made by an artist followed by the melodic voice of a cantora.  the breeze is light with […]

Captain’s Log 007 I’ve been here a full week in this new habitation of orange juice and skinny jeans. About 47 left. But who’s counting. It seems I’ve taken to recording sounds when I move in. Here are some Brasilia sounds: http://cowbird.com/story/79459/Novos_Sons/ Some thoughts so far: i’m beginning to interact with my apartment mates more […]

…not really. I’m reflecting every month (and in between) on the state of science. How it’s all going. My reflections. Its the 5th, a Saturday night and I’ve been here (Brasilia, my first post) for four days. I’ve been to Brasilia once before for four days on a hybrid work/student trip. It’s nice enough, but […]

I had lunch with one of my mentors and committee members, Camara Jones, last week who suggested that I write my reflections at least once a month on my project, where its going, where my head is, what I think some next steps might be.  Even though it’s before anything has officially started in-country and […]

More iphoneshia for you!  I’m ruminating on a few blog posts of more substance though i know my family (and friends!) love the pics.  One will be titled “always being black in brasil”.  It’s my fourth time here and I’m still always a little surprised how the stuff i read about in journals and books […]

Sampa has a pretty vibrant street art scene as evidenced by this link: http://www.unurth.com/filter/Sao-Paolo I’ll be adding all the ones I come across when I have my phone/camera here. None of the ones I’ve seen so far are even catalogued above. Check it.

I just arrived to Sao Paulo and it’s not like Rio, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, Brasilia… Some compare it to NYC, but I haven’t picked up on that vibe just yet. I’m here to learn more about Brazilian history, take portuguese classes, pre-lim interview, finish IRB, apply to two fellowships, meet with Paulista oral historians, […]

Guess who’s moving to Brazil for a year? This girl.   As per usual, I’ll be chronicling my international antics here. I’ll be in São Paulo June and July for language training and research purposes. Then back to the States for a month or so and then off again for the year!     Brasília […]

Here are some pics from the school…        

The story of race and Brazil is a long and complex one.  Not unlike the story found in the US.  What makes it especially complex is that Brazilians find their stance on race to be superior to that in the US, mostly because they tout the lack of lynchings and other brutalities as successful mixing […]

living with sickle cell disease, i think in prevention mode everyday. how can i prevent the most pain today? i have a baseline. what i can deal with and what i don’t even notice. this is my everyday. but above that threshold, i enter a place i don’t want to be. mostly because i don’t […]

I am living in a friend of a friend’s house here all because I sent an email inquiring about a meeting.  Who knew the person who works on all the things I’m interested in would offer me a place to lay my head.  Grateful. Who knew that I’d have a roommate for 6 days–a friend […]

I got lost again today.  It’s to be expected.  I’ve only been here a few days after all.  When I was in Belgium, Jennifer and I got lost so much.  All the time.  And I got frustrated.  Sometimes because when we got lost we ended up in not so nice neighborhoods.  Sometimes because I just […]

I am in Salvador, Bahia for six weeks to participate in more intensive language training and conduct some preliminary research.  In the 36 hours I’ve been here, I’ve navigated the route between school and home, had my first guarana, ingested pao de queijo, and of course got lost.  Actually, I knew exactly where I was, […]

My friend the world traveler Ashlie told me in Greece, “You seen one sunset, you’ve seen them all” as she fell asleep on the loveliest of ones in Santorini.  I dunno… I think I disagree Ash.

My name is Melissa, and yes I can afford to eat at the same restaurant as you. Boa Noite.

Tonight I met up with a virtual friend who I had been introduced to a few months ago (via facebook/email) by another friend who insisted we meet due to our similar interests in health in Brazil.  Ugo will be in Salvador for a year and a half working on maternal and child health issues for […]

  I am renting a spacious condo in Barra, Salvador-a few minutes from the beach.  There are lots of food options and it seems safe enough.  I visit the historic center ths weekend and hopefully get in good beach time.  I’m also having lots of meetings and giving a talk to the Public Health Institute […]

You know how sometimes you get confirmation that you are where you are supposed to be? I’m having one of these moments. I have had a (relatively) rough Spring. God always shakes things up when you think you know how life is going to go, but He always knows better than you do. I have […]

I am reposting an archived blog from Fly Brother that gets to exactly what I’ve been feeling in only 2 weeks in Brazil. It has been fascinating observing and being observed. I still haven’t broken down the “Here, you’re as black as your hair” comment I got week 1 — still wrapping my mind around all that […]

On Saturday (after my epic Friday night-6:30AM folks!) I made plans with new friends I met that night and a classmate to go back to the scene of the crime (lapa) in the daytime for some proper pictures-then onto Santa Theresa (a neighborhood by the center of Rio and the only sanctioned hillside neighborhood/favela). I’m going to blame the carefree […]

According to Wikipedia: Lapa is a neighbourhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. It is located in the centre of Rio and is famous for its historical monuments and nightlife. The neighbourhood is home to the Arcos da Lapa, an impressive aqueduct constructed in the mid-18th century by colonial authorities. Another important historical attraction is […]

I thought of my friend and classmate Andy Ditzler when I went to a talk today after class.  I had no idea what was being said, but there was lovely bossa nova music involved.  He’s coming to Rio this week and I’m sure we’ll do something music oriented! OK-I just googled who was giving the […]

…this is what the program coordinator said today in orientation-directed to the women only.  “Brazilian girls know how to do this well and to stop things before they get out of hand.  In our culture it is a game and sometimes no means yes.  Pay attention to this.  Be careful.”

So here I am.  In Brazil to learn some Portuguese…only the first step in what will surely require more time with the language and more time in Brazil (how convenient!).  I took a placement test today…HA!  Written and Oral.  I got through part 1 and half of part 2.  I took reading comprehension in Port […]

… to Scientific Storytelling.  This is a collection of my professional, academic, and photographic work.  I collect stories about illness, culture, ancestry, and difference.  After over 10 years of scientific and public health experience with universities and the government, I switched gears and began to link those concepts with ideas of history and anthropology, throw […]