Honoring and commending Dr. Jamile Tellez Lieberman, Dr. PH, MPH, for her dedication to public health and service to the North Philadelphia Community.
WHEREAS, Dr. Jamile Tellez Lieberman graduated from Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health with a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree in June 2022, where she completed a significant dissertation on the mental health impacts of parental deportation among U.S.-citizen children of Mexican immigrants, exploring the role of anti-immigrant and anti-Latino discrimination; and
WHEREAS, During her time at Drexel University, Dr. Lieberman focused on Latino immigrant health, community-based participatory research, maternal and child health, and the intersection of arts and health; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Tellez Lieberman was selected as a Global Alliance for Training in Health Equity Research (GATHER) Fellow, working with the National Institute for Public Health of Mexico on COVID-19 orphanhood initiatives; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Tellez Lieberman has made significant contributions to public health through her work with the Latino Health Collective in Philadelphia and the DrPH Coalition, including serving on a taskforce for the Tule River Indian Tribe in California; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Tellez Lieberman is the Director of the newly established Esperanza Institute for Latino Health Equity, in addition to her leadership of the Housing and Economic Development (EHED) division at Esperanza; and
WHEREAS, Esperanza is one of the nation’s largest Hispanic, faith-based nonprofit organizations dedicated to addressing the root causes of systemic poverty; in this capacity, Dr. Lieberman will apply her extensive public health expertise to serve North Philadelphia communities, viewing this role as the fulfillment of her calling and mission; and
WHEREAS, At Esperanza, Dr. Jamile Tellez Lieberman works to strengthen the Hispanic/Latino community in the Hunting Park neighborhood, which is home to diverse communities of color, including a significant Hispanic/Latino population; and
WHEREAS, As the head of Esperanza’s Housing and Economic Development (EHED) division, Dr. Tellez Lieberman oversees a range of impactful initiatives, including anti-violence youth internships, community greening, environmental improvements, voter registration, vaccine clinics and education, local small business development, and corridor cleaning; and
WHEREAS, As the Director of Esperanza's Institute for Latino Health Equity, Dr. Jamile Tellez Lieberman spearheads community-based participatory research, education and programming to address neighborhood health disparities and advance the health and well-being of residents in communities served by Esperanza; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Tellez Lieberman’s commitment to public health was inspired by her childhood, her adoptive mother’s pioneering spirit, and her identity and lived experiences as a Latina woman scientist and practitioner, leading her to shift from medicine to a focus on the social determinants of health and community-based research to push for population-level health improvements; and
WHEREAS, Her work has included groundbreaking research on the impact of deportation on children’s health and well-being, as well as efforts to address interconnected health issues such as mental health, substance abuse, and violence through community partnerships; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Tellez Lieberman is dedicated to advancing public health by involving communities directly in research and solution development, advocating for policies and partnerships that address the root causes of health disparities; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby recognizes, honors and commends Dr. Jamile Tellez Lieberman for her dedication to public health, her impactful work with Esperanza in serving North Philadelphia communities, and her commitment to addressing systemic poverty and improving lives through innovative and compassionate approaches.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Jamile Tellez Lieberman as a symbol of the profound respect and admiration felt by this legislative body and the citizens of Philadelphia for her outstanding contributions to public health and her dedicated service to the North Philadelphia community.