Shaping the Future of Dietetics 🌱 Tangela’s Story
Tangela, Future RDN
“There's a recognition and understanding of the importance of the work we do, but not enough to validate our fair pay. I think that is the main thing I would address. It could really change the demographics, inspire more people to enter the field, and get more RDs out there to support individuals in need.”
Last month, we sat down with Tangela for an interview. She shared how Diversify Dietetics gave her hope, inspired her career shift, and supported her journey to becoming a dietitian after seeing how dietary changes transformed her family’s health.
Tangela's story is heartfelt, inspiring, and one you won't want to miss. Read on below to hear more.
Q: We’re so grateful to have you as part of the DD community, can you share what Diversify Dietetics Programs you participated in/ how you’ve engaged with DD?
A: I originally joined DD in 2018 when I was still a student. DD happened to have one of their regional meetups in Boston. I knew a few people from my school who were also a part of it, and mentioned it [DD].
I just showed up and knew that it was an opportunity to meet other dietitians of color. I was also in a mentorship program through Simmons University that focused on diversity, and I worked with many organizations over the years that focused on diversity. [Diversity] has always been something that I wanted to be central to my career as a dietitian.
Tangela and other DD Community at Boston Meetup in 2018.
Q: Why do you want to become a registered dietitian nutritionist?
A: At that time, myself, my best friend, and my mother were dealing with new health conditions that required us to change our diets pretty quickly. After seeing how quickly our overall health and vitality improved with changing our diets, I got really interested in the idea of food as medicine and in nutrition as a whole.
It was difficult but I made the decision to go back to school at that time. I was looking for another avenue that would give me a chance to give back and really give people the opportunity to change their lives. My background is in marketing, communications, and advertising, so I was able to continue using those skills as a nutrition student and professional. Everything kind of came together, and now I'm on this last leg of the journey.
Q: Is there a person or group or activity/event you’ve been able to get connected to thanks to DD - what has that looked like and how has it impacted your personal or professional growth?
A: I would say the DD Communications Workshop had a huge impact. Like I mentioned, my background is in marketing communication and I've worked as a health and nutrition writer for over five years. It was kind of natural to find this community through DD. I've worked as a nutrition writer on my own, independently, with private practice dietitians and organizations. So I didn't really have a lot of friends who were in this space doing the kind of work that I was doing. That event was definitely a huge source of inspiration.
Q: How did you feel after finding the DD community? Did anything change once you got connected with DD?
A: I would say finding DD gave me hope in terms of there being a place for me in this field. In classes, even when I would look up dietetic internship programs and would see pictures of the interns, it was rare to see anybody that looked like me. To the point that I considered not continuing school or getting my master's degree. I just didn't feel like there was a place for me in this field, despite knowing how many people of color need support when it comes to nutrition.
Finding DD and having such an active community, seeing how successful everybody is in the field, that really helped me see that there is a successful path for me here. I also think it's really interesting that whenever I've actively looked to connect with other dietitians of color or looked for resources to find dietitians of color, I’m always pointed back to DD. I do the same for people who are looking for a dietitians color, whether they're colleagues or whether they’re patients that are looking for dietitians in their area. I always direct them to DD.
Q: Do you have any advice to share for others who may be struggling on this journey?
A: I can definitely relate to the struggle. My journey in particular has been very difficult, and I'm still struggling, even right now, to be completely honest with you. My advice would be to connect with other dietitians and new nutrition professionals, just to get a bit more guidance.
There are things that I could have done differently especially in terms of going back to school - like financially - that I just didn't know. I didn't have guidance at the time. I'm a first generation college student on top of it, so I was just kind of fending for myself for the most part.
Even before I found DD, my solution was always to ask questions. Like talking to my close friend’s sister who is a nutrition researcher. Working at food banks and talking to the dietitians there or meeting the dietitians at the hospital I worked at as a Senior Admin Assistant. Always talk to people and get as much information and guidance as you can.
Q: What would the field of nutrition & dietetics look like if we were to reshape it?
There's definitely a lot to change. I think it's clear in the demographics of dietitians out there that there's a barrier to entry in the field. Taking this path is financially challenging, so I think one of the first things in really addressing that [issue] is to create or promote more programs like the coordinated program or FEM and offering paid internships. Even if it's going to be at a reduced rate compared to if we were full fledged dietitians. Then, just continuing the work to promote fair pay once we are out of the internship and [become] RDs.
There's a recognition and understanding of the importance of the work we do, but not enough to validate our fair pay. I think that is the main thing I would address. It could really change the demographics, inspire more people to enter the field, and get more RDs out there to support individuals in need.