Jessica Cerdena

JESSICA CERDENA, then a graduate student at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, was awarded a grant in April 2018 to aid research on ‘Biosocial Embodiment of Intergenerational Trauma in Latin American Migrant Women and their Infants,’ supervised by Dr. Richard Bribiescas. How do Latin American migrant women accommodate traumatic histories and motherhood amid the COVID-19 pandemic? This mixed-methods dissertation research examines trauma and resilience among structurally vulnerable Latin American migrants who give birth during the public health and socioeconomic constraints imposed by COVID-19. Through 98 interviews conducted with migrant women prior to and following birth, clinic staff, and local community leaders, this research narrates how women construct their life arcs in the vibrant and diverse community of New Haven, Connecticut. This research informs the fields of medical anthropology, public health, and history, and motivates policy advocacy supporting migrant and maternal-child health.