Taking mental health out of the medical center and into the community, where the people are, is a mantra for Columbia Professor and colleague, Dr. Sidney Hankerson. This year’s inaugural speaker for our Columbia University Seminar Series on Global Mental Health, Dr. Hankerson demonstrated brilliantly what it means to go where the people are and why it matters to communities everywhere.

Partnering with faith-based organizations and conducting pioneering work that increases awareness, education, and access to treatment for depression among African Americans, Dr. Hankerson is propelled by personal experience and professional commitment to mental health equity and social justice.
Dr. Hankerson’s research and community engagement are built on models of participatory research and translational science. These frameworks also inform work in the field of global mental health. For those of us in NYC, Dr. Hankerson’s work is local. For those reading from other corners of the world, it is global. Therein lies the truth that global = local + local + local. Thank you, Dr. Hankerson, for going where the people are to advance mental health locally, which is also globally.