As an under represented minority group member in a majority dominated profession, I explicitly aim to participate in and produce research that impacts BIPOC communities, with a special emphasis on Black communities. My research lab, the Nia Equitable Aging Lab (NEAL) focuses research and occupational therapy services to medically underserved older adults in St. Louis city, in which Black older adults are disproportionately represented. NEAL also focuses on improving the diversity, equity, and inclusion within occupational therapy education and practice. We are currently conducting a research study on the experiences of Black occupational therapy students and fieldwork coordinators from historically black colleges and universities in obtaining quality Level II fieldwork experiences. I am also awaiting a response to an NIH Include Us grant application on which I am a co-investigator. This study uses community-engaged approaches to recruit a group of 300 Black/AA older adults to be evaluated annually regarding their health, daily activity ability and risk of developing AD.