Natasha Crooks’ experiences as nurse and with the health care system fueled her desire to address sexual health disparities among Black girls and women. She received funding from the National Institute of Nursing Research to complete her dissertation research entitled, “The Process of Becoming a Sexual Black Woman,” investigating the sociocultural conditions influencing sexual development and STI/HIV risk in Black females. She is a qualitative researcher and utilized grounded theory to develop a conceptual model describing Black female sexual development and their sexual pathways. Her dissertation research was recently published in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. She is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, where she focuses on which and how sociocultural conditions shape Black girls’ sexual development. Findings from her research will inform future programs and STI and HIV interventions to improve the sexual and reproductive health of Black females throughout the life course.