Natasha Crooks

Natasha Crooks

Natasha Crooks studies how to protect Black girls’ and women’s sexual and reproductive health. She created a novel theoretical framework, “Becoming a Sexual Black Woman,” which characterizes the role of stereotypes and lack of familial protection in the elevated risk of sexual trauma and sexually transmitted infections in this population. She also developed a two-day, family-based program called IMAGE for Black girls and their male caregivers to help girls prevent sexually transmitted infections and HIV. She is testing the program with the help of a $4 million, 5-year grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. 

Crooks has also studied how the COVID-19 pandemic affected Black girls’ health, written about the ethics of conducting research in Black populations during times of social injustice and presented strategies to support scholars of color.