EmpowHER

EmpowHER is committed to partnering with shelters for unhoused populations like the Los Angeles House of Ruth, orphanages in Tijuana such as Casa Hogar La Gloria, and non-profit organizations to uplift disadvantaged female-identifying individuals and children. EmpowHER seeks to raise awareness about and decrease the challenges disproportionately faced by unhoused and underserved female-identifying individuals, focusing on multilingual feminine hygiene and overall women's health education, dermatological health issues, and maternal psychiatric conditions. Additionally, we plan to extend our reach across borders by partnering with orphanages in Tijuana to improve health literacy, cultivate fulfilling mentorships, and support children’s health through donation drives and community outreach. To address disparities in basic needs access, EmpowHER will host drives to gather hygiene products, food, and clothing. Our next step would be to host workshops and assemble care packages/health kits to distribute to unhoused and underserved communities. We also plan to collaborate with local community partners and healthcare providers to offer free preventative health screenings and medical consultations in areas facing disparities in healthcare access. EmpowHER plans to engage medical students and faculty in every step of our volunteer efforts to advance health equity for all underserved female-identifying and child patient populations. We believe that housing inequities can have a profound impact on female-identifying individuals and children in underserved communities, and ensuring access to safe, affordable housing is essential to fostering stability, dignity, and opportunities for ensuring health equity.

MPLuu@mednet.ucla.edu

Signatories: Minnie Luu, Annie YE, and Heidi Kim

Advisor: Melissa L Veluz-Abraham