About Us

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Your participation is helpful in advancing our understanding of the role of Black faith communities. By taking our survey, you can contribute to shaping policies and interventions that support the well-being of Black individuals and adolescents. If you are interested in this study and would like to see if you qualify, please fill out our screener survey.

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The NC/SC Black Church Study Team

Dr. Pamela Martin

Principal Investigator

Pamela Martin is a Professor in the Department of Psychology, Clinical-Community Program, and African
American Studies Department at the
University of South Carolina. She is the Director, African American Faith Communities Project. Dr. Martin's research focuses on how Black churches help families, especially youth.

Dr. Marketa Burnett

Co-Principal Investigator

Marketa Burnett is an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences and Africana Studies at the University of Connecticut. Her research has examined how Black parents (residential and non-residential) actively contribute to the positive development of their children and their ability to thrive using cultural assets and strategies such as religion.

Tiera Cleveland

Graduate Student

Tiera Cleveland is a 2nd year Ph.D. student at USC. She graduated from Baylor University in 2022 earning a BS in Psychology. While at Baylor University, she was a scholar-athlete in Track and Field. She is interested in resiliency, religious factors, and racial socialization as cultural strength-based coping assets among Black populations.

Devin Weeks

Post-Baccalaureate Scholar

Devin is recent graduate of the University of South Carolina where he recieved his B.S. in Psychology in 2023. He currently works at a psychology private practice in Columbia, SC. His research interests focuses on racial-stress, coping mechanisms, and how race related messages are conveyed in the black church.