A Vision for Duke’s Future: Accessibility, Engagement, and equity

Dakota Douglas, a two-time Duke graduate (Trinity ‘22, Graduate School ‘24), is a finalist for the Undergraduate Young Trustee position. Her platform centers on advancing accessibility, fostering community engagement, and ensuring health care equity at Duke University and within the surrounding Durham community.

For Douglas, this isn’t just a campaign; it’s a calling. “Someone who holds that same kind of sacred regard for the health of Duke and the progress that should accompany [the] University into its next century” is how she describes the role of a Young Trustee,emphasizing the importance of a student perspective on the Board.

Her commitment stems from personal experience. Growing up in Indian Trail, North Carolina, she witnessed firsthand the disparities created by unequal access to health care and limited accessibility, witnessing her brother’s journey with autism and her grandmother’s congenital blindness. This early exposure instilled in her a deep understanding of systemic inequities.

I just always kind of understood that when you look different, you’re not going to be treated the same.

Dakota Douglas

This understanding is particularly relevant in the context of Duke, given its historical ties to the tobacco industry. The Duke family, who owned and operated the American Tobacco Company, also founded Duke University and Duke Hospital. Douglas’s grandmother was both a tobacco sharecropper for the company and a patient at the hospital, creating a tangible link between the university’s past and her present aspirations.

A Family Legacy and a Vision for Progress

Douglas sees her candidacy as a continuation of her family’s legacy of contributing to the community. She views the potential of becoming a Young Trustee as a powerful symbol of progress.

We’ve gone from an institution that employed my family as sharecroppers to one [where] the granddaughter of a living sharecropper could be a trustee. I think for that to happen in the context of 100 years […] is really miraculous.

Dakota Douglas

This is Douglas’s second attempt at securing the Young Trustee position. After making it to the semi-finalist round last year,she decided to run again,this time with a sharpened focus on Duke’s partnerships within the Durham community and a commitment to fostering deeper,more equitable relationships.

“Nothing About Us Without Us”: Prioritizing community Voices

Douglas’s campaign centers on the idea that institutional policies should reflect the lived experiences of those they affect. She believes that community feedback is crucial for effective governance.

Governance is a mechanism by which we can use community feedback. I am very much a proponent of the saying,‘nothing about us without us.’ It’s pivotal and significant to have representation from the communities that you hope to exist alongside and help them grow their own goals.

Dakota Douglas

She intends to prioritize strengthening Duke’s relationship with Durham, acknowledging that the university’s presence has had a significant, but not always equitable, impact on the city. Duke University has a strong economic impact on the Durham area, but concerns about gentrification and affordable housing persist, mirroring similar situations in college towns across the U.S. As a notable example, cities like Cambridge, Massachusetts (home to Harvard and MIT), and Princeton, New jersey (home to Princeton University) face similar challenges in balancing university growth with community needs.the Durham Chamber of Commerce estimates the total economic impact of Duke University and Duke Health System to be over $8 billion annually.

Douglas believes the University should have “a deeper, conscious reckoning of Duke’s role in Durham” and be prepared to “say, ‘this is where we were, this is where we are now and here’s what we hope to do,’ and continue to strengthen those ties.“

Experiences Shaping a Leader

Douglas’s commitment to equity and justice isn’t just theoretical. Her experiences illustrate her dedication to creating change.

that really shaped my understanding of my duty to have a knowledge of how the world isn’t set up fairly for everyone and be empowered to act.

Dakota Douglas

while earning her master’s degree in bioethics and science policy, she worked with organizations like Mothers Against Media Addiction and the Center for Humane Technology, addressing the ethical implications of technology. She also served as a research assistant with the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy, conducting research on policy messaging strategies, partisan attitudes towards artificial intelligence, and care coordination networks in healthcare systems.

One recent study by the Duke-Margolis Institute, published in *Health Affairs*, found that integrated care coordination networks can improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs by up to 15% in underserved communities. Thes data points underscore the potential impact of the type of policy work in which Douglas has been involved.

colleagues Affirm Douglas’s Qualities

Reagan mcrae, Graduate School ‘24, speaks highly of Dakota stating

Considering Dakota Douglas’ background in policy at Duke-Margolis Institute and her focus on accessibility,inclusivity,and community engagement,what specific initiatives would you prioritize as a student leader to achieve these goals and bridge the gap between Duke’s aspirations and the realities experienced by Durham’s diverse community?