African American Dementia Research
Welcome to our Community Council project page! We hope you enjoy reading about our work and getting to know us by browsing our bios. Stay tuned for more updates.
About
Although our various community partnerships have existed for several years, we officially establish our Community Council in 2024 when we decided to join forces to co-conduct research.
We are working together to build connections, raise awareness, and learn about experiences of dementia in our community in the Dallas and San Antonio areas. We are trying to understand:
- How does dementia impact our community and what kind of support do we need?
- How can we create dementia-focused research that represents and includes us?
- What are the strategies we can use to build power and partnerships in our community to use research to improve health?
Our Community Council
James Butler
Community Council Member
James “JEB” Butler is a Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator at Heart of Texas Hospice in Spring B…
Ed Smith
Community Council Member
Hi, my name is Ed. After I retired, I wanted to use my time to serve others. With the support of my church and…
Lavee Jackson
My name is Lavee Jackson. I have been a caregiver for much of my life for family members, for friends, and rig…
Linda Andrews
Community Council Member
Hi, I’m Linda Andrews and caring for others is truly one of my greatest joys in life. I am a woman with …
Opel Smith
Community Council Member
Opel’s passion for caregiving began in her early teens, when she witnessed her grandmother progress through th…
Veronica Shanklin
Community Council Lead
Veronica Shanklin’s caregiving journey began when she left her career as a Marketing Director in Chicago to ca…
Shanae Rhodes
Research Partner
Hi, I’m Shanae. My journey into dementia research began in graduate school, where I was helping a profes…