Tiara Mack AB’16 is a Rhode Island State Senator (D-Dist 6, Providence). The first Black queer woman elected to Rhode Island’s State House, Mack is also one of the state’s youngest senators. We asked Tiara how her Brown experience and public health training has shaped her career.
How does your Brown training impact your work as a RI State Senator?
Public Health is in every piece of legislation I work on in the state house. The Brown community and my undergrad courses in Public Health trained me to see public health in every aspect of daily life for Rhode Islanders, whether in explicitly health-related legislation or in the many intersections. During my time in Rhode Island's General Assembly, I have championed bills that advanced health outcomes across many demographics, including housing and tenant rights, minimum wage increases, expanding reproductive healthcare coverage to include doula services and abortion services, and increasing SNAP benefits for Rhode Islanders.
What are your thoughts about the School at this important 10-year milestone?
I remember when the School of Public Health was announced as a first year at Brown. Before Brown, I had never heard of public health but within my first two years on campus many of my classmates and teammates were raving about the eye opening and engaging ‘Healthcare in the US’ course. I was thankful the open curriculum allowed me to explore this course and eventually led me to concentrate in Public Health.
