We were lucky to catch up with Ayanna Besson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ayanna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s go back in time to when you were an intern or apprentice – what’s an interesting story you can share from that stage of your career?

I did an internship with Plant Powered Metro New York (PPMNY) which is a community-driven movement and nonprofit organization that aims to empower people to find better health and overcome chronic disease through whole food, plant-based nutrition and more. This organization is led by Lianna Levine Reisner, MSOD, who served as my preceptor. I had a background in Type II Diabetes prevention and intervention programs (under the direction of Aisha Smith, ANP), so it was a perfect fit. I was able to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of their 21-day culturally-sensitive and relevant whole food plant-based nutrition intervention program (called the 21-day Jumpstart) for Brooklyn’s Black Leaders with the end goal of expanding this to their constituents and the community at large, under the direction of Principal Investigator, Elizabeth Helzner, PhD, MS, DipACLM. Since then, SUNY Downstate’s School of Public Health, has done the evaluation for four cohorts of Jumpstart participants and has added other student researchers (Jennifer De Los Santos and Josselyn Hancock) to the effort.

Programs as such are so important because we are dealing with an epidemic of chronic disease. Just looking at Brooklyn, NY (where SUNY Downstate is located), approximately 45.4% of residents suffer from multiple chronic conditions. Central Brooklyn has particularly high rates of chronic disease, including hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease and has also experienced rates of COVID-19 infection higher than New York City averages. Given the racial and socioeconomic disparities of COVID-19 mortality, there is an urgency in creating intervention programs that focus on healthy dietary habits that support immune health and address chronic disease comorbidities associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes.

This internship has taught me how to lead a research team, work with stakeholders and a variety of community organizations and the importance of consistent and meaningful communication. It is a privilege to receive the guidance that I did in designing the evaluation protocol from the PI and PPMNY team and passing along that knowledge to other students. It has contributed significantly to my development as a leader and I am a firm believer of taking others with you on your way up.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I come from a non-traditional background. Growing up in a Caribbean household there were three expectations: doctor, lawyer, engineer and so when I came across public health – an area that my father and grandparents supported me through. And so, epidemiology became a big part of my life early on and only heightened after my mother’s passing. She was a 28-year-old woman of color, diagnosed with breast cancer. We battled it for a few years before she passed on at the age of 32, leaving behind a husband and two young children.

So, what did I do? I underwent a double mastectomy with reconstruction at 26 years old. Who knew that the makeshift pedigree that I created would be the blueprint to my prevention and to my purpose? I understood that communities are only as strong as the health of its least regarded. As a result, it became clear to me that the most valuable currency in public health today is a village that facilitates regular physical exercise, a healthy diet, and self-care that balances mental wellbeing.

My dissertation work at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University’s School of Public Health) and Plant Powered Metro New York (PPMNY) focuses on plant-based nutrition and nutrition education in underrepresented communities. I work in areas that a burdened by food insecurity and chronic disease. With this desire to use nutrition to heal the communities in which I serve from the inside out, I want to merge my expertise in public health and learn about business and entrepreneurship to solidify my purpose and vision of building lifestyle medicine clinics in these underserved communities, marrying holistic and western medicine and encouraging each patient to be actively engaged in their own care. I also envision each clinic having a department of horticulture where people can begin healing their relationship with food. I am committed to seeing this through and rebuilding our communities.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Networking is critical in my field. Joining organizations that align with your personal and professional goals can assist with you getting connected to the people, finances, and spaces that can take your idea and/or talents to the next level. I am currently a part of the Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group and Committee on Plant-based nutrition at Downstate and I am a student trainee with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM), which all consists of individuals from multiple disciplines that have a similar mission. I always want to be in spaces where there is room for growth and reception to innovation.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I just recently moved to Boston, Massachusetts for a job opportunity and although I was nervous about leaving my family and living in a new place, I knew it was the best decision for me professionally and academically. Once I complete my dissertation, I plan to go to business school to fill the gaps in my knowledge regarding entrepreneurship (for my startup, the lifestyle medicine clinics), gain a powerful network, and further develop my leadership skills.

Image Credits
Ayanna Besson Plant Powered Metro New York (PPMNY) SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Save Our Sexy, Inc.