Dr. Chandra Ford is a distinguished public health scholar and advocate dedicated to addressing health disparities through the lens of critical race theory. She is a Professor and Founding Director of the Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice, and Health at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Ford’s work focuses on understanding and addressing the social determinants of health, particularly the impacts of racism on health outcomes.
Dr. Ford earned her Ph.D. in Health Behavior from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh. Her research has been instrumental in highlighting the systemic barriers that contribute to health inequities, especially among racial and ethnic minorities. She has developed and applied the Public Health Critical Race Praxis (PHCRP) framework, which integrates critical race theory into public health research and practice.
Throughout her career, Dr. Ford has been a vocal advocate for health equity and social justice. She has served on numerous national advisory committees and has been recognized with several awards for her contributions to public health. Her work emphasizes the importance of addressing structural racism and promoting policies that advance health equity.
Dr. Ford’s commitment to health equity extends beyond academia. She actively engages with communities to promote health and well-being, and her work has had a significant impact on public health policies and practices.
Here are three online videos that best describe how Chandra Ford has addressed health disparities in her career:
“Fighting for Health Equity in a Time of Fear.” This video features Dr. Ford discussing her work on health equity and the impacts of racism. (February 2017)
“Racism & COVID-19: Public Health Critical Race Praxis with Dr. Chandra Ford.” This video includes Dr. Ford discussing the intersection of racism and public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. (April 2021)
“Racism in Public Health featuring Dr. Chandra Ford.” This video features Dr. Ford discussing the application of critical race theory in public health. (September 2020)