JIMMY LIRA
Jimmy Lira identifies as a Xicano cisgender man from Rialto, California, with indigenous roots to the Tarahumara people of Mexico. He studies Human Biology and Society with an emphasis on Public health and Chicanx studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. As a Xicano and a descendant from immigrants, he has experienced racism, racial hardships, and racial profiling which allows him to share empathy and show solidarity with other folk who have experienced similar issues. With his education and societal experience, he strives to bring awareness to pressing racial matters in the health field and beyond, spread knowledge to those who were not granted the same opportunities as him, and commits himself to aid POC in the future as a Doctor.
SHANNONÂ HOWELL
Shannon Howell identifies as an African-American cisgender woman from Pasadena, California. She studies Human Biology and Society and African American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. As a Black woman she has experienced racial hardships by multiple institutions and through her experiences she is able to show solidarity with those with similar stories. She strives to use her education and the privilege afforded to her to spread awareness of the hardships of those who struggle to have their voice heard. Shannon has continued interest in the health (in light of COVID-19 and racial health disparities) and social issues that are at the center of today's agenda.
TIFFANY TEGUH
Tiffany Teguh identifies as an Asian-American cisgender woman from Pasadena, California. She studies Economics, History, and Society & Genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles. Being in the midst of a medical historical moment (with COVID-19), she is interested in understanding how race plays into the different health outcomes. She recognizes how minorities have been silenced throughout history and strives to share the stories of those silenced for future historians and others to have.
ALYSSA LIZARRAGA
Alyssa Lizarraga identifies as a Mexican-American cisgender woman from Whittier, California. She attends the University of California, Los Angeles and is studying Human Biology & Society, Psychology, and Anthropology. These disciplines have led her to inquire about the different ways in which people interact, specifically when it comes to bias and incarceration. Being from a diverse community in Southern California, she is in constant communication and interaction with immigrant and minority communities and culture. She hopes to one day provide medical and genetic counseling to these communities, for whom these services often aren’t an easily accessible reality, as well as continue to educate herself and others about the importance of ethnic, racial, and cultural sensitivity in the medical field.
YUUMNA AKHUNDZADAH
Yuumna Akhundzadah is a cisgender Muslim woman from Afghanistan/Pakistan studying Human Biology and Society at the University of California, Los Angeles. She has experienced discrimination at personal and professional levels and after learning about the link between the treatment of minorities and health outcomes, she is interested in bringing awareness to these issues. She is also invested in the conflicts surrounding the treatment of the Muslim minority in India and is hoping to bring attention to issues that are a violation of human rights and may not get enough attention in popular media.
