Biography

Cierra Moore is a Princeton University graduate with a degree in Spanish and concentrations in Psychology and Latin American Studies. She aspires to a fulfilling career in clinical psychology research and counseling, primarily focusing on communities of color. Coming from Trenton, New Jersey, a largely African American community where mental health is notoriously stigmatized and dismissed as a legitimate health concern, she has always viewed the mental health field as being uniquely influenced by culture. Since she began pursuing studies in this field, she was drawn to and prioritized cultural considerations in order to be an effective force in her own community and elsewhere. Her interests lie in the intricate ways that culture and society shape not only individual mental health outcomes, but also population-wide outcomes, as well, drawing her to public mental health. As a double major in Spanish and Psychology with a minor in Latin American studies, she aims to continue exploring how culture and society shape the experience, expression, and concept of mental illnesses, particularly in Black and Latinx communities. She firmly believes that a better understanding of the cultural origins and presentations of disorders will lead to more accurate and effective care, both at the level of individual clinician-patient interactions and population-wide interventions.