Meet all 15 finalists and learn more about their projects.
Amani Carson
Medical student, Charles R. Drew Medical Education Program and David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Project: Community art program for low-income neurological patients and caregivers from the Black community. Patients, loved ones, and caregivers would perform stories of their experiences.
Amani Carson is a third-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in the Charles R. Drew Medical Education Program, training to improve neurosurgical care access and outcomes, as well as increase research participation for marginalized patients.
Prior to medical school, Carson attended Duke University, majoring in psychology and minoring in theatre studies. After graduating, Carson worked with the Weisz Lab for Youth Mental Health to conduct community-based participatory research on youth and caregiver mental health and develop a school-based coping skills training. As a program assistant for the Family Van Mobile Clinic and the Department of Pediatric Neurology at Boston Medical Center, Carson focused on health literacy, mobile and virtual health, social support programming, and shared decision-making.
Since starting medical school, Carson has participated in several health equity-centered research initiatives. As a first-year medical student, Carson was an inaugural fellow for the CDU-UCLA Dana Center for Neuroscience and Society. Through this fellowship, she co-created alongside clinicians, researchers, students, and community members from South Los Angeles to develop neuroscientific research that would directly address a pressing community need.
Most recently, Carson has been exploring neurosurgical community health research with UCLA’s Patel Lab and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Neurosurgical Equity and Wellness Lab. She is also a Global Food Initiative fellow working with Dr. Wendelin Slusser to improve access to healthy drink options on UCLA’s campuses. Lastly, as part of her discovery year, Carson is collaborating with the UCLA Simulation Center and Dr. Kenneth Wells to develop a community health initiative to improve access to care for underserved brain tumor patients.
Outside of work, Carson enjoys playing with her puppies, family movie nights, culinary experimentation, learning needle arts, following Duke basketball and Formula 1, and trying to curate the perfect playlist.
As a student from an underserved background, I have observed that despite ongoing advances in neuro-oncological care, underserved patients remain especially at risk for worsened morbidity and mortality. Since these patients are still underrepresented in neurosurgery, their community contexts are often overlooked during the development of innovative research and cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment protocols. My project seeks to amplify the voices of community members affected by brain tumors and create space for their expertise within the academic environment in order to increase access to essential neuro-oncological care.
Taylor Carty
Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management student, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Project: Work with community to plan and add inclusive playground equipment, such as wheelchair-accessible swings, ramps, sensory play zones, and communication boards to a playground in South Los Angeles.
Taylor Carty is committed to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities through policy and advocacy. Carty is particularly interested in policy related to social insurance programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, having witnessed the tremendous impact these programs can have on a person’s health and quality of life: from experiences at Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, where she worked with patients impacted by neurological conditions, to the ABLE National Resource Center, where she educates the public about Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts, which allow people with disabilities to save without jeopardizing their eligibility for public benefits.
As the 2024 Eileen Sweeney graduate intern in disability policy at the National Academy of Social Insurance, Carty recently worked with the Urban Institute’s Disability Equity Policy Initiative team on projects addressing the intersection of disability with issues such as housing, upward mobility, and disaster preparedness in rural areas.
Carty is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. She earned her bachelor’s degree in molecular and cell biology from UC Berkeley.
In her free time, Carty enjoys spending time with her family, baking, and reading British literature.
I chose to focus on an inclusive playground for my Health Equity Challenge proposal to help create an environment where children of all abilities and backgrounds can play and benefit from the power of play. Through this project, I hope to increase opportunities for children with disabilities in South Los Angeles to engage socially, emotionally, and physically, while fostering understanding and inclusion among non-disabled children. I envision the playground as a community cornerstone, demonstrating what is possible when we focus on ability, not disability, and providing families with a space where their children can grow and thrive together.
Naomi Castellon-Perez
Medical student, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Project: Improve air quality in schools to decrease absenteeism. Her proposal would provide air filters, box fans, and installation supplies to classrooms and educate students about air quality and climate change.
Naomi Castellon-Perez is a first-generation medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) at UCLA. She is also part of the inaugural cohort for the Urban Health Equity Pathway at DGSOM, which is preparing her to be an advocate for vulnerable communities as a future healthcare provider.
Castellon-Perez was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, and she completed her undergraduate studies at Harvard College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Biology and Global Health and Health Policy. As a Latina and daughter of Nicaraguan immigrants, her upbringing was centered around resilience, compassion, justice, and a passion for education. These values ultimately led her to pursue a career where she could merge public service, health, and science.
Prior to starting medical school, Castellon-Perez worked as a research assistant on the Equity-First Vaccination Initiative at the Brown School of Public Health, which supported the COVID-19 pandemic mitigation efforts of community-based organizations that worked with marginalized populations. She also supported research at the Indiana University School of Medicine that focused on developing tools to help families at risk of experiencing extreme pre-term birth, aiming to facilitate informed decision-making and improve both physical and mental health outcomes for patients. In addition to research, Castellon-Perez has volunteered at free clinics as a Spanish medical interpreter.
Castellon-Perez plans to continue integrating service, research, and community partnerships to address the systemic and structural barriers that underserved populations encounter in their daily lives.
She spends her free time exploring and learning about nature and environmental health.
Education is a critical social driver of health for individuals and their communities. It is important to provide a safe, healthy space for students, and indoor ventilation and air filtration in classrooms is a key component of this particularly in Los Angeles, where climate change is becoming an increasingly relevant challenge. The aim of this project is to collaborate with educators and community organizations to help provide affordable, straightforward tools that can improve access to clean air in schools serving low-income communities, which are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards and airborne illnesses.
Tiffany J. Chen
Doctor of Dental Surgery student, UCLA School of Dentistry
Project: Partner with existing mobile clinics to expand dental cleanings, hand out dental kits, and share oral health information to address oral health care disparities for people experiencing homelessness.
Tiffany J. Chen is a dental student at the UCLA School of Dentistry. After earning her bachelor’s degree in biology at UCLA, she began working closely with medically underserved communities through community health centers, health fair screening services, and mobile kitchens. It was through these experiences that she developed a deep passion for advocating for and serving populations experiencing homelessness. She has volunteered at various organizations including the Good Shepherd Shelter, Share a Meal Mobile Community Clinic, and Samaritan House, and co-founded the Healthy and Powerful You Health Fair at UCLA.
As a student in the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program, Chen has served in volunteer and leadership roles with the UCLA American Student Dental Association, organizing and leading oral health education programs for children at local schools, Boys and Girls clubs, and community centers, as well as co-leading planning of regional meetings and conferences as chair of the District 11 Cabinet Conference Committee.
She firmly believes that oral health is connected to systemic health, having witnessed firsthand in these populations how oral diseases can exacerbate or reflect chronic diseases such as diabetes.
Chen aspires to combine her ongoing dental education with her past experiences in cardiovascular and diabetes research, community medicine, and public health to advance oral health equity for underserved populations.
Oral health issues are commonly overlooked among individuals experiencing homelessness and further exacerbated by a lack of access to dental care and health education, often leading to severe pain and infection, increased risk of systemic diseases, and diminished quality of life. My project aims to partner with existing mobile health clinics to expand their services by integrating free dental screenings, preventive dental hygiene, and oral health education. By meeting patients directly where they are in the community, this initiative strives to build trust and create a comprehensive resource for medical, dental, nutritional, and public health services.
Tiffany Y. Chen
Medical student, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Project: Culturally relevant, multi-language program for patients with Parkinson’s that would conduct workshops, provide a telehealth platform with support groups, and use vans to bring care to people where they are.
Tiffany Y. Chen is a second-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) at UCLA. She is dedicated to integrating innovation, advocacy, and patient-centered care to address challenges in healthcare.
While earning her bachelor’s degree in human biology and society at UCLA, Chen pursued opportunities to explore the intersection of science and community, including research on long-haul COVID and integrative medicine. She founded High-tech and Neurological Disorders (HAND) at UCLA, an organization focused on creative approaches to support patients with neurological disorders through education and outreach initiatives. Now in medical school, she continues to expand HAND’s reach across Los Angeles to further address unmet needs in neurology.
Chen previously served as co-president of the Asian Pacific American Student Association (APAMSA) at DGSOM and is committed to community engagement, volunteering at health fairs in Chinatown and facilitating research workshops for undergraduates.
Navigating cultural transitions and witnessing the challenges of patients faced with Parkinson’s disease revealed to me the critical need for accessible, culturally competent care in underserved communities. Through the Health Equity Challenge, I aim to dismantle barriers to neurological care by integrating innovative technology, multilingual education, and mobile services, creating a compassionate, inclusive model that empowers patients and enhances their quality of life.
Angela Rose David
Master of Public Health for Health Professionals student, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Project: Mental health support program tailored specifically for Filipinos, which would offer peer support circles, cultural mentorship and guidance, mental health resources and counseling.
Angela Rose David is a first-generation Filipino American, born and raised in Los Angeles, California, with familial ties to the Philippines (Oriental Mindoro and Bulacan). She graduated from UCLA in 2018 with a BS in Biology and a double minor in Spanish and public health.
After spending two years interning with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on projects related to public health education and COVID-19 preparedness, David went on to complete a premedical postbaccalaureate program at UCLA, followed by a yearlong National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities’ Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Training (MHRT) T37 fellowship at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.
Utilizing these experiences, David now works at UCLA full-time as the project manager for a lab that explores health disparities affecting the Filipino immigrant population. She is also a full-time student in the Master of Public Health for Health Professionals program at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and will graduate this June 2025.
Growing up as a young caregiver gave me a deep appreciation for the strength and compassion caregiving requires, especially within the Filipino community where family support is a cornerstone of our culture. Inspired by these experiences, I created Kalinga Kabataan, a program that equips Filipino American youth caregivers in Los Angeles with culturally tailored resources to help them thrive. This holistic approach fosters resilience, transforms caregiving into a source of strength, and addresses mental health disparities in the Filipino American community. Through the Health Equity Challenge, I aim to equip young caregivers with the resources and support they need to navigate their responsibilities confidently while prioritizing their well-being.
Suhong He
Master of Public Health in Community Health Sciences student, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Project: Afterschool program for preventive mental health care for Asian youth. The program would consist of peer-led workshops that use mindfulness, meditation, Traditional Chinese Medicine, guided imagery, and art.
Suhong He is a second-year Master of Public Health student in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. She is interested in the intersection of public health and health equity, recognizing that marginalized and underserved communities often face significant barriers to accessing quality health care.
As an intern at the Chinatown Service Center, He successfully designed and implemented community supports program infrastructure under the CalAIM initiative to provide services to meet clients’ needs, conducted research, surveyed and analyzed survey findings, and developed educational and outreach materials to increase health literacy and program participation. Currently, He is a community engagement coordinator at the National Asian Pacific American Families Allied for Substance Awareness and Harm Reduction.
With a focus on creating multicultural health interventions, He seeks to address the specific needs, cultural backgrounds, and unique challenges of diverse communities. By understanding and respecting cultural differences, He seeks to develop tailored interventions that improve health outcomes in ways that are both effective and equitable.
He earned her bachelor’s degree in public health policy from UC Irvine.
I chose to focus on youth mental health prevention in Asian immigrant communities because these populations often face unique cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic barriers to care, compounded by the stigma around mental health. Through this project, I hope to create a sustainable, culturally sensitive program that equips youth with the skills and resources they need to manage their mental health proactively, fostering long-term resilience, health literacy, and overall well-being.
Mami Horikawa
Medical student, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Project: Improve emergency department care for people with autism by conducting a needs assessment to identify components for a toolkit of resources that are practical in an emergency department setting.
Mami Horikawa is a first-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, with a passion for promoting research and health equity.
Before medical school, Horikawa earned a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Michigan and collaborated with the Department of Radiology to develop PET imaging reagents. While inspired by the potential of advanced medical imaging, she became concerned about its accessibility and the role that such technologies play in exacerbating health disparities. To bridge the gap between innovation and equitable health care delivery, Horikawa aspires to become a physician scientist.
Horikawa is on the internal communication team for the Disability in Medicine Mutual Mentorship Program (DM3P) at Stanford Medicine and previously served as the national network coordinator for the Disability Advocacy Coalition for Health Professions at the University of Michigan.
Horikawa is excited about the opportunity to develop her grant-writing skills through the Health Equity Challenge and make a meaningful impact in the community.
During Base Camp (medical school orientation), the discussion on disability-inclusive care focused on primary care settings. Reflecting on other medical specialties, I recognized the need for specific tools in the Emergency Department. This is why I formed a working group dedicated to improving care for autistic patients in the Emergency Department.
Denise Jimenez-Tapia
Dual Medical and Master of Business Administration student, PRIME-LA program, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and UCLA Anderson School of Management
Project: Improve health literacy among farmworkers, specifically for occupational hazards, such as heat-related illness and pesticide exposure, and increase insurance enrollment by holding education sessions at laundromats.
Denise Jimenez-Tapia is the proud daughter of immigrant farmworkers. Fields of grapes and pears shape the landscape of Lakeport, a small rural agricultural town in California, which her family calls home. From a young age, Jimenez-Tapia joined her parents as a migrant cherry picker, an experience that illuminated the critical role of education in addressing the health disparities faced by farmworkers.
Currently pursuing her MD and MBA through the UCLA PRIME-LA medical and business program, Jimenez-Tapia’s academic journey began as a first-generation college student at UCLA, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and Society in 2016.
Jimenez-Tapia is the co-founder of La Cosecha, the first medical student organization at the David Geffen School of Medicine focused on the health of farmworkers. La Cosecha trains future health care providers to be allies and advocates for farmworkers while delivering essential health education to farmworkers in order to protect their well-being in the fields.
Jimenez-Tapia currently serves as PRIME council president and is part of the UCLA Latino Medical Student Association. In 2024, she was awarded the Charles E. Young Humanitarian Award in honor of her outstanding contributions and commitment to public service.
Farmworkers, like my parents, are the reason I chose to pursue a career in medicine. My parents’ health has been sacrificed and impacted by the occupational hazards they are forced to endure to provide food for our nation. Their sacrifices inspire me to advocate within the medical community, raising awareness about the health challenges and exposures faced by farmworkers. My goal with this Health Equity Challenge is to ensure farmworkers have access to essential health education, empowering them to safeguard their well-being while working in the fields.
Jahmil Lacey
Medical student, Charles R. Drew/UCLA Medical Education Program, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Project: Reduce mental health disparities for young Black men by turning barbershops into health hubs with tailored mental health resources, mentorship, and psychosocial support, including one-on-one and group therapy sessions and resource navigation.
Jahmil Lacey is a native of Oakland, CA, and resident of Baldwin Village (“The Jungles”), Los Angeles. In addition to being a medical student in the Charles R. Drew/UCLA Medical Education Program at the David Geffen School of Medicine, he serves as the founder and executive director of TRAP Medicine, a place-based community health startup that aims to address disparities in access to mental health services.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lacey was awarded $1.2 million in funding to lead a county-wide initiative expanding access to preventive, wraparound support, and mutual aid — connecting thousands of Angelenos to services by leveraging barbershops, churches, and homeless encampments as health hubs.
Throughout his career, Lacey has demonstrated a passion for alleviating the root causes of health inequities as demonstrated by his past experiences in K–12 education, economic development, policy, and community organizing. Prior to medical school, he managed a subsidized housing program for transitional-aged youth with chronic mental health and substance use disorders. He also served as director of two federally qualified school-based health centers in the Bay Area and most recently led a school-based mental wellness initiative at ICEF Public Schools called Embrace the Mind.
Lacey has published research on depression and HIV treatment adherence among Black and Latinx men and is in the post-production phase of his first short documentary film. His work with TRAP Medicine has been featured on several media outlets including NPR Morning Edition, AP, the TODAY show, and the Los Angeles Times.
Lacey received his undergraduate degree from Morehouse College and a graduate degree in social policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Following medical school, he intends to pursue further training at the intersection of public health and psychiatry.
I chose to focus on mental health equity for Black male youth in my community because I’ve witnessed firsthand how systemic barriers and stigma prevent many from seeking care. By transforming barbershops into culturally resonant wellness hubs, I aim to increase access to mental health support, reduce disparities, and foster stronger connections. Ultimately, I hope this approach will inspire trust, empower youth, and create a sustainable model of care that can be replicated in other communities.
Hannah Lee
Medical student and Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management student, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Project: Targeted mental health program for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander youth that provides culturally sensitive mental health services, including curriculum on body image and eating disorders, gaming addiction, among other topics.
Hannah Lee is a third-year MD/MPH student at the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) at UCLA and UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. A graduate of Brown University with a concentration in public health, Lee has focused her academic and professional efforts on addressing mental health disparities and promoting equity in underserved communities.
Born to immigrant parents in Los Angeles, Lee gained early insight into the cultural stigmas surrounding mental health — an understanding deepened by her personal recovery from an eating disorder. This lived experience inspires her ongoing mission to champion accessible, culturally attuned care for vulnerable populations.
Prior to medical school, as a Fulbright Research Scholar in South Korea, Lee conducted research on culturally sensitive approaches to adolescent mental health care. This experience fueled her dedication to bridging cultural contexts and improving mental health outcomes for marginalized groups.
At UCLA, Lee co-founded A-Team Med with DGSOM medical student Matthew Yan, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing mental health disparities and leadership gaps within AANHPI communities. Their “Accepting All Bodies” curriculum, previously implemented at the Busan Foreign School, exemplifies their tailored approach — promoting body empowerment and addressing eating disorders among Asian youth. In addition, Lee co-leads the Body Empowerment Project at UCLA, which utilizes research-validated, weight-neutral strategies to reduce high mortality rates associated with eating disorders in underserved communities throughout Los Angeles.
Recognized as a Klingenstein Fellow, Lee’s career trajectory is defined by her commitment to cultural psychiatry and public health leadership. She strives to create impactful, evidence-based interventions that challenge stigma and reshape mental health services for populations often underrepresented in care utilization and resources.
AANHPI adolescents face a complex interplay of cultural pressures, stigma, and intergenerational conflicts that heighten the risk of eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and disordered eating. These challenges remain significantly understudied and poorly addressed, a gap underscored by Dr. Ninez Ponce’s research showing underutilization of mental health services in AANHPI communities. Through our project, we aim to fill these critical gaps by providing culturally tailored education, fostering narrative empowerment, and advancing health equity.
Zeena Mestari
Medical student, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Project: A campaign to support caregivers for people with autism that would offer workshops in English and Spanish and provide an online platform to raise awareness.
Zeena Mestari is a third-year medical student at UCLA with a background in behavioral sciences from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Before starting medical school, Mestari worked as a Montessori substitute teacher and direct behavioral therapist, where she gained a deeper understanding of the importance of addressing caregiver burnout and supporting their needs, particularly in vulnerable communities. During this time, she also volunteered as an English tutor for refugees and served as a program manager for a mental health nonprofit in southeast Michigan. In this role, Mestari collaborated with her state representative to plan programs aimed at increasing internships for teens with disabilities.
Mestari’s early experiences sparked an interest in leveraging technology as a tool for advocacy, especially after working in medical device product development. This experience broadened her understanding of how innovation can address health disparities and strengthened her commitment to advancing health equity for underserved communities.
In medical school, Mestari has continued to channel these passions by organizing sensory-friendly community events for neurodivergent individuals in Los Angeles, fostering inclusive and supportive spaces. Under the guidance of her mentors and in collaboration with colleagues, she also helped develop a mentorship program for local community college students interested in exploring medicine. Additionally, as vice chair of policy for the UCLA American Medical Association, she contributed to policy development by proposing changes aimed at advancing health equity for ethnic minorities.
Mestari’s identity as a Latina and North African woman remains central to her drive to improve health care access and advocate for marginalized communities. These personal and professional experiences have shaped her dedication to advancing health equity. Mestari continues to be inspired by the power of mentorship, collaboration, and technology to drive meaningful and sustainable change.
My commitment to addressing caregiver burnout began as a direct behavioral therapist, where I witnessed families — like a mother named Helen — struggle with burnout while fiercely advocating for their loved ones. Caregiver burnout disproportionately impacts women, who often bear the primary responsibility for caregiving. Through this project, we hope to raise awareness about caregiver burnout, foster acceptance of neurodiversity, and empower caregivers like Helen to reclaim their agency and strengthen their support systems.
Wendy Tran
Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management student, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Project: Online platform that has story sharing, mental health resources and guides, and scam prevention education to support overall better mental health for Asian Americans.
Wendy Tran is a second-year Master of Public Health candidate in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
Tran earned her bachelor’s degree in international relations and global business from the University of Southern California, where her passion in health care equity was sparked through community service projects, notably a social impact initiative in rural India to promote preventive health education and hygiene practices.
Following graduation, Tran dedicated over six years to co-leading a grassroots nonprofit in her hometown, addressing health care disparities within Asian immigrant communities in the San Gabriel Valley. Highlights of her contributions include spearheading pop-up free clinics, managing equitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts, and securing Special Consultative Status with the United Nations for the organization.
Building on her grassroots experience, Tran aims to apply the insights gained from working directly with communities to drive systemic improvements in the broader healthcare landscape. After graduation, she plans to integrate a health equity lens into health care consulting and contribute to the development of innovative solutions that enhance access to and quality of care.
Asian immigrants aged 50+ are disproportionately vulnerable to financial scams due to language barriers, cultural stigmas, and social isolation. Right before starting graduate school, I discovered my mother had fallen victim to financial fraud and witnessed the profound emotional toll she endured as we navigated the complexities of the aftermath. This experience highlighted the critical need for culturally sensitive mental health support for older Asian immigrants to foster healing, empowerment, and connection. Through the Health Equity Challenge, my goal is to equip this population with the tools to rebuild their lives, overcome emotional distress, and achieve lasting mental wellness.
Qianyun Wang
PhD in Social Welfare student, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
Project: An art therapy program for older Chinese immigrants struggling with grief, in which they share photos and stories. Sessions would be led by mental health professionals culturally and linguistically aligned with participants.
Qianyun Wang, a third-year PhD student in social welfare at UCLA, began her academic journey with a bachelor’s degree in social work from Beijing Normal University, China, followed by a master’s degree from the University of Calgary, Canada. Her research focuses on the intersection of aging and immigration, with a particular emphasis on the social and psychological well-being of older immigrants.
Wang believes deeply in the power of community-based research and community involvement to address pressing social issues, especially health inequities that affect marginalized populations.
At UCLA, Wang has served as a graduate student researcher on projects including exploring the experiences of Filipino American essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and understanding the long-term services and supports needs of older adults and adults with disabilities in California. She has authored and co-authored various studies that have been published in peer-reviewed journals such as JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, Frontiers in Public Health, and BMC Public Health.
As the 2024/2025 Tang Scholar awarded by the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine, Wang is trained in non-drug mental health therapies, enhancing her capacity to improve the mental well-being of the Asian American community.
In her volunteer efforts at the Chinatown Service Center in Los Angeles, she provides support to low-income older immigrants, assisting them with social services and housing needs.
As a community volunteer and student researcher, I have observed firsthand the unique challenges faced by older Chinese immigrants in Los Angeles, particularly the mental health issues compounded by cultural and linguistic barriers, among others. Motivated by these observations, I chose to focus on health equity for this group. On a personal level, the community-based art therapy group program, using Photovoice techniques, offers a therapeutic outlet for bereaved older Chinese immigrants to heal through visual storytelling. At the community level, the project culminates in an exhibition designed to showcase these personal journeys, fostering broader community engagement and understanding, and aiming to destigmatize mental health issues among older Chinese immigrants, promoting inclusive care practices and greater community understanding.
Halee Yue
Medical student, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Project: Build resilience in and teach leadership skills to youth in foster care by engaging them in a program to train shelter dogs, making the animals more adoptable.
Halee Yue is a medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 2020 with a major in developmental genetics.
Inspired by her loving sister who has Down syndrome, Yue is working towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society. Her involvement with the special needs community has included founding and coaching a Special Olympics track and field team, volunteering for the Special Needs Aquatic Program and CalStar yoga, and creating resources for individuals transitioning from childhood to adulthood at the Down syndrome clinic at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. In addition, Yue created a story writing program for underserved elementary school students.
During her gap year before medical school, Yue was a fellow at Stanford University’s Clinical Observation and Medical Transcription program, where she was a medical scribe and research assistant at the Center for Marfan Syndrome and Related Aortic Disorders.
Yue is currently part of the UC-LEND program at UCLA, where she is learning how to improve care and health outcomes for individuals who have neurodevelopmental disabilities.
During her free time, she enjoys playing pickleball and taking her dog, Brea, on walks.
For over 35,000 youth in the Los Angeles foster care system, the basic necessities to build a healthy and successful future are often absent, which feeds cycles of poverty, homelessness, and incarceration. In addition, Los Angeles has a serious problem with its animal shelters, which are overcrowded and under-resourced, causing dogs to be euthanized at a historic rate. These two very vulnerable populations are often misunderstood and overlooked; however, if given the environment and tools to succeed, they will have the capacity to change the world. I propose the development of a program that connects foster youth with shelter dogs, certified dog trainers, and peer mentors, where purpose, belonging, confidence, and leadership can be cultivated.