Aakilah Brown is a Spelman College graduate, and obtained her medical degree at Emory University School of Medicine. She has worked as a Group Therapy Co-Facilitator for the Nia Project, helping Black women heal from trauma and suicidality through individual and group therapy. As a Near Peer Mentor and Coordinator, she has guided students through their third-year psychiatry clerkships, enhancing their learning experiences. Her research with the Nia Project explores how coping skills shape the relationship between racial identity and depression among Black women. Committed to service, she has volunteered for years at a student-run mental health clinic for refugees, serving as Treasurer and Clinic Coordinator.
Get to Know Aakilah
- Hometown: Hyattsville, MD
- Professional Interests: Consult-liaison psychiatry and women’s mental health
- Future Plans: Not sure at this time, but likely academics
- Memberships: American Psychological Association, Black Psychiatrists of America and Student National Medical Association
- Hobbies: Spin, travel, trying new foods and concerts (specifically Beyonce concerts)
Education
- MD, Emory University School of Medicine, 2025
- BS, Spelman College, 2021
Publications
- Hoffmann T, Shi X, Hsu CY, Brown, A, Knight Q, Courtney L, Mukarram RJ, Wang D. (2022, January 06). The identification of type I MADS box genes as the upstream activators of an endosperm-specific invertase inhibitor in Arabidopsis. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12 870-021-03399-3 Publication Status: Published.
- Brown A, Blackwell M, Kaslow N. Understanding Suicide Resilience as a Moderator in the Relationship between Racial Identity and Depression in Black Women. Unpublished manuscript