Folashade Wilson

Congressional Fellow

She/her/hers

Area of Discipline: Health Policy

Folashade Wilson has dedicated her academic and professional career to using intersectional social justice frameworks to advance policies that improve the health of systematically marginalized populations. As apolitical science major at Howard University, the New Jersey native studied how political systems have generated health disparities for Black communities. This passion took Folashade to South Africa, where she evaluated the relationship between comprehensive sex education policy and HIV transmission among young women and LGBTQI+ youth, gaining invaluable insights into global health challenges. During her final year of undergraduate studies, Folashade began fundraising and advocating for reproductive rights for low-income communities of color at Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan New Jersey.

To deepen her understanding of healthcare inequities, Folashade embarked on a journey to pursue her Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management with a certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health from Columbia University. At Columbia, she immersed herself in the community, serving as Treasurer of the Black and Latinx Student Caucus and earning the highly selective FORWARD (Fighting Oppression, Racism, and White Supremacy through Action, Research, and Discourse) Fellowship. Her graduate internships at the NYC Commission on Gender Equity and SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, allowed her to analyze crucial issues such as menstrual equity, gender-affirming healthcare, and health education legislation. Upon graduation, she was inducted into the prestigious public health honor society, Delta Omega, commemorating her leadership and academic achievements. Throughout her career, Folashade has grounded her policy experience by serving her community as a COVID-19 vaccine coordinator, sex educator, peer supporter for sexual violence survivors, and abortion doula.

With her rich background in policy analysis and direct service, Folashade is eager to advance policies that champion anti-racism, health equity, and reproductive justice and continue her lifelong mission to improve the health and well-being of marginalized populations.