Natalia “Tasha,” Kimball, a 2001 alum of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies program, recently sat down with the Jackson School to discuss their career and research trajectory and reflect on their experiences as a student. Kimball is currently an associate professor of history at City University of New York, where they focus on reproductive health care.
Kimball was joined by Cora Bern-Klug, a master’s student in International Studies and Kati Sosa-Valle, a bachelor’s student in Latin American and Caribbean Studies with a minor in human rights. The interview was part of a new initiative “Careers in LACS” that features resources and experiences of alum of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies program. It was recently launched by Vanessa Freije, chair of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies program, who also featured in this episode.
According to Kimball, their path was not linear. After graduating from the University of Washington, they spent time in western Bolivia as a Fulbright Fellow conducting research in tin mining communities. After returning to the United States, Kimball sought out positions where they could utilize their Spanish skills, securing a position at a small abortion clinic in Seattle. Once the clinic began winding down operations, however, they decided to go to graduate school, earning a Ph.D. in history.
Through their undergraduate and graduate studies, Kimball found they were able to meld their interests in abortion rights and Bolivian tin mining communities.
“Some of the work that had been assigned to me as an undergrad [at the Jackson School] kind of introduced me to some of the issues facing women who worked in tin mining communities in Bolivia,” Kimball, who was a panelist at the Jackson School’s April 25 Modern Abortion Around the World panel, said. They also cited work done with Professor Jonathan Warren as instrumental to their foundations in international studies.
Listen to the full 33-minute episode at bit.ly/4b6qZlc.