Riana Elyse Anderson

Riana Elyse Anderson, Ph.D., was born in, raised for, and returned to Detroit. She has been trained in Clinical and Community Psychology at the University of Virginia, Yale University’s School of Medicine, and the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, she is the EMBRace Program Director and Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health. Dr. Anderson studies how racial discrimination impacts the mental health of Black adolescents and their families. She enjoys all things food, sports, music, and travel, and is adventurous - except for the outdoors.

How We Talk With Kids About Prejudice Matters

By Kristin Pauker, Stephanie Irby Coard, Lisa Kiang, Gabriela Livas Stein, Michael T. Rizzo, Riana Elyse Anderson, Shawn C. T. Jones, Melissa Giraud, Andrew Grant-Thomas | August 16, 2023

Conversations about race and racism can help children engage with these topics and combat the negative messages they learn from society.

How Talking About Race Can Bring Black Families Together

By Emily Ha, Riana Elyse Anderson | June 21, 2022

A new program is helping Black children and their caregivers talk about race—and they’re learning important lessons about racial socialization.