Jemel Aguilar

Associate Professor

Bio:

Dr. Jemel Aguilar earned his PhD and master’s degrees in Social Work from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, focusing on children and families within generalist social work practice. His extensive background in HIV services and a Master's in Public Health have shaped his academic interests in health promotion for marginalized and low-income populations. Dr. Aguilar has contributed to key journals, including Culture, Health, and Sexuality, and is the author of Decolonizing Human Behavior in the Social Environment. He is currently editing a textbook that explores marginalized identities across the lifespan. Dr. Aguilar also examines how people with invisible disabilities experience society and social structures; these relationships are then linked to the formulation of oppression.

Publications:

Aguilar, J.P. (2020). When my body betrayed me: Falling through my identity and into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In E. Counselman-Carpenter, E. & Redclay, A. (Ed.) Working with Grief and Traumatic Loss: Theory, Practice, and Self-Care. San Diego, CA: Cognella Publishing.

Smith, C. F., Aguilar, J. P., Tomczak, S. M.* (2022). Appropriate uncomfortable: A conversation among three colleagues about structural oppression focused on racism and the need for action. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 27(2), 78-86 *Each author contributed as first authors of this project