Wayne State University is a leader in urban health, addressing critical issues including substance use, addiction and mental health. V Efua Prince, a professor in African American Studies and author of the new novel, Kin: Practically True Stories — published by Wayne State University Press — plays a key role in this effort. Her research, which is shaped by personal experiences, focuses on the complexities of home and its impact on individuals and communities, driven by a commitment to empower health and tackle the challenges facing urban areas.

Growing up in the Washington, D.C., metro area during the crack cocaine epidemic, Prince witnessed its effects firsthand. Families and communities, particularly in Black and low-income neighborhoods, faced significant disruption, including increased crime and instability. The trauma affecting Black families in the 1980s deeply influenced her research, which delves into both the material and psychic well-being of Black families.

The drug, Prince said, was tearing families apart. 

“Reading and research helped me understand the dynamics in play,” she said. “Writing helped me to work through the questions that seemed to plague so many families like mine.” V Efua Prince, a professor in African American Studies and author of the new novel, Kin: Practically True Stories 

Prince’s research brings to light the often-concealed traumas within Black families and aims to break the silence that can sustain unhealthy emotions such as shame and guilt. By recognizing these issues, she seeks to build a sense of community and foster healing.

“My research contributes to our understanding of mental health issues by acknowledging trauma that many families prefer to keep hidden,” she said. “Acknowledgment resists the tendency to experience unhealthy emotions and provides affirmation. It allows people to feel seen and heard, which enhances mental health.”

In her efforts to address and illuminate hidden struggles, Prince emphasized that acknowledging trauma is crucial.

“My work speaks into the silence and often people encounter it as a witness, and they feel seen,” she said. “This kind of affirmation enhances mental health by drawing people into community.”

Kin: Practically True Stories, is a natural outgrowth of her research, a celebration of Black womanhood, of resistance and perseverance — while simultaneously an indictment of American history. The book of embodies the central themes of home and family that are integral to her academic work.

“My hope is that Kin, in particular, and my research in general begins to effect policy by helping reveal the ways that our everyday practices can be adjusted to create a more sustainable lifestyle,” Prince said. “Whether that be in terms of occupation, bodily integrity or ecology, my research reveals the interconnectedness of people on a global scale. What happens at home literally impacts the world.”