Danielle Hairston, M.D.

2023 Solomon Carter Fuller Award Recipient

Lecture Title: Reconsidering Vicarious Racism and Trauma-it could happen to someone like me  

Dr. Hairston hails from the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and pursued her undergraduate studies at Rutgers University. She obtained her medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine and completed her general psychiatry residency at the same institution. Following this, she undertook her Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where she currently practices as a psychiatrist within the Division of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry.

Since 2016, Dr. Hairston has been actively involved in various leadership roles within the psychiatric community. She serves as the Scientific Program Chair of the Black Psychiatrists of America (BPA) and has held the presidency of the Black Caucus of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Furthermore, she has contributed as the Early Career Representative for the APA's Black Caucus and initiated a community outreach program aimed at fostering collaborations between mental health professionals and faith-based organizations in the local community. Additionally, Dr. Hairston is a valued Work Group Member of the Mental Health: A Guide for Faith Leaders initiative.

Dr. Hairston and her colleagues have been vocal advocates for expanding the DSM-5 criteria to incorporate media-based trauma, recognizing the disproportionate impact it has on the Black community. She has firsthand experience treating patients grappling with distress stemming from media-induced trauma and is a staunch advocate for raising awareness about its potential to trigger conditions like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Leveraging her social media platform, Dr. Hairston actively engages with her followers to promote allyship for victims of racial trauma. Her efforts in this regard were acknowledged when she received the Solomon Carter Fuller Award in 2023 for her significant contributions to raising awareness about the detrimental effects of racism on mental health.