Mercedes Gutierrez grew up with diabetes affecting the majority of her family. She was diagnosed as prediabetic in the third grade and, due to a lack of education, quickly became insulin dependent as a Type 1 diabetic.
During her research on food insecurity and the correlation between food deserts and diabetes, the information she found was “so broad” but “had so much noise” that it was lacking individual tribal research.
Through the Tribal Health Experimental Student Internship Seminar (THESIS), the University of North Texas student, who is actively earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health, was able to teach others and advocate for access to fresh produce and ending food insecurity…