Elaijah Lapay BA '24

Elaijah is a senior pursuing an individualized degree in Migrant Health and Healthcare on the pre-health pathway. Elaijah is co-leading a 2023-4 Bass Connections project team on food and nutrition security policy and health equity at the federal, state, and local level in Durham County, NC. Elaijah helps facilitate the operations of Root Causes’ Fresh Produce Program to coordinate the packing and delivery of fresh produce in English and Spanish to families every weekend in Durham. Elaijah is conducting research on efficacy of produce deliveries, diet, and education sessions on health outcomes among hypertensive and food insecure members of Durham’s African American and Latine populations; he has previously conducted research on food insecurity in the Latine community, equitable access for Latine pediatric mental healthcare, and the state of equity in Duke’s university-community partnerships. Following a Summer 2021 internship, Elaijah continues to work as a patient navigator at Lincoln Community Health Center, a federally qualified health center in Durham, helping pediatric patients’ and families’ navigate social and resource needs in English and Spanish.

                                                             Margolis Internship Program - Work & Deliverables