The Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) at NC State University is excited to welcome Cherish Thrash as its new community initiatives program associate. In this role, she will work alongside faith communities to increase community engagement and raise awareness for the improvement of public health programs, with a focus in rural North Carolina.
Get to know Cherish in this brief Q&A:
Q: Tell us a bit about your background and how you came to IEI.
From a young age, my passion for public health has been the driving force in my life. This same drive led me to volunteer at the annual Emerging Issues Forum and I’ve continued to do so every year since even at my young age. My unique blend of public health, psychology, and faith has given me a powerful perspective on improving the well-being of individuals, particularly in minority communities. As I pursued my bachelor’s degree in public health, I became fascinated with the concept of person-centered care, and now I’m eager to expand it into community-centered care. I’m excited to become part of the IEI staff, where I can help communities build capacity and progress for the betterment of all our people.
Q: What interests you most about working at IEI? Is there a particular program or area of work you’re most excited about?
While volunteering at IEI, I’ve come to understand that addressing the holistic needs of others is crucial. I’m passionate about making a collective impact with a group of people rather than just individual efforts. Over the years, IEI has taught me many things to consider in promoting public health. One thing is that there are many factors when it comes to health, especially public health. A person can heal physically with the help of a doctor and/or nurse; however, if that person goes back to the same lifestyle that led them to need a doctor/ nurse in the first place, nobody is improving their lifestyle.
This places added strain on public health and community programs that may already be stretched thin. I am thrilled to be working with the faith and community teams to address these root causes and bridge the gap, instead of putting a bandaid on a gaping wound. Digital inclusion, equity, and accessibility to essential resources such as healthy food, clean water, and resources are some of the topics I’m passionate about, and I believe the work at IEI can bring about amazing change!
Q: What do you believe is the biggest emerging issue facing our state?
Equity and accessibility to resources, I believe, are critical challenges facing our great state. North Carolina’s rural and suburban communities are struggling to access affordable fresh produce, quality groceries, and meat. Another issue that is becoming more pressing is the quality of infrastructure and accessibility to quality food and clean water during and after natural disasters. As climate change continues to lead to increasingly severe weather events, these beautiful and often historical communities are at greater risk, as evidenced by the unfortunate devastation experienced by some western NC communities after Hurricane Helene. If our infrastructure cannot keep up with the stronger weather events, what happens to these communities? What keeps them from being completely wiped out? By combining effective public health prevention programs with proper funding, we can significantly reduce or even dissipate completely some of these emerging issues, while recognizing the importance of faith as a pillar in so many communities.
Q: What kinds of things do you like to do for fun?
I love to try new things at least once! Exploring different cultural cuisines through cooking is a passion of mine. I also find great joy in reading and painting landscapes. An interesting tidbit about me…I love learning random facts, particularly those related to outer space!
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