Class Of 2024

Cleo Bluthenthal ’24, describes herself as a “dedicated advocate for social equity and justice.”  As a senior majoring in Public Health Studies with a minor in Women, Gender and Sexuality, Cleo spends much of her time studying health disparities and engaging in community advocacy around social justice issues. Cleo is a Johns Hopkins University Woodrow Wilson Research Fellow, published author, and Rhodes Scholarship Finalist. Her research on racial birthing disparities was recently highlighted in the JHU Arts & Sciences Magazine and her report on the disproportionate burden of eviction on black women was published by the Center for American Progress.

We asked Cleo about her work:

Could you explain the research and activities you’ve been involved in as an undergrad? What motivates you to pursue this work?

At the age of thirteen I first began volunteering at local syringe exchanges in Los Angeles, and from there, built the foundation for my subsequent work in harm reduction, policy, and public health. During my undergrad career, I was awarded the Woodrow Wilson Research Fellowship, through which I have conducted independent research on racial disparities in maternal care and outcomes. I also interned for the City of Hope Cancer Research Center, where my work in Organizational Transformation afforded me the opportunity to immerse myself in and gain a deep understanding of the healthcare experience from the perspective of vulnerable patients. My work as a research assistant and field interviewer on two different NIH-funded studies at the Bloomberg School of Public Health has included immersive fieldwork among women who engage in sex work and injection drug use in Baltimore, and afforded me the privilege of working with and learning from award-winning investigators and peers alike. Finally, this past summer, I was honored by selection as the Intern for Rights and Justice at Washington DC’s Center for American Progress, where my original research on the disproportionate impact of eviction on Black women resulted in publication of a widely distributed report. 

All of these experiences are linked by my long time passion to understand and change societal injustices. Given the ways in which the discipline of public health touches upon the social systems that determine life outcomes, particularly for marginalized populations, it was a natural course of study for me to pursue in service to achieving this goal.

What are your key takeaways from your public health research and social justice work?

One of my greatest takeaways from my work is the understanding that the relationship between community-informed research and public policy is inextricable, if we are going to change systems to be more just and equitable for all people.

Any plans or goals moving forward that you’d like to share?

Given my interest in challenging policies, programs, and legislation that perpetuate inequity in health, housing, and mobility outcomes, I plan to attend law school after working for a couple of years in the policy space following graduation.