Kate Hays is a current master’s student at the University at Buffalo, pursuing a dual degree in public health and urban planning. She is interested in the impacts of the built environment, particularly at the intersection of community health, climate justice, and racial equity. Before returning to school, she worked as a medical case manager for newly arrived refugees in Buffalo, NY, and as an instructor at an adult literacy program in Chelsea, MA. She graduated from Boston University in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.