Janice Johnson Dias, PhD
Photo by Rowena Husbands
Dr. Janice Johnson Dias is a tenured associate professor of sociology at John Jay College in New York City. She is the co-founder and president of the public health and social action organization GrassROOTS Community Foundation and leads its SuperCamp for girls. She holds a PhD in sociology from Temple University. Her collaborative work on Black girls’ mental, sexual, and physical health issues earned her a special congressional recognition and grants from the Robert Wood Johnson and Annie E. Casey foundations. Her work on the effects of safety on girls’ physical activity in low-income neighborhoods led her to serve as an advisor to the city of Newark, where she focused on violence as a public health issue. Born in Jamaica, Dr.…
