Hi! My name is Jason and I am an MD/MPH student at the University of Utah. I've been at CU for the last few months with the Preventive Health program, where I have been helping empower communities regarding HIV/AIDS and healthy lifestyles. As a future healthcare provider, I see myself serving medically underserved communities, so my experiences with community members at the grassroots level have helped me to gain valuable experience in the non-profit sector. Furthermore, as a second-generation Taiwanese-American, working at an organization whose values are rooted in improving the immigrant experience and led by people of color has been a valuable opportunity to envision myself as a future leader in American society.
As a non-Latino, L2 Spanish speaker, working at CU has helped me understand how to use my unique identities and experiences to communicate effectively with people who are different from myself- a transferrable skill that is invaluable in any professional setting. Learning about the realities of other members in my community motivates me to continue to be a positive force for change in our world. The work that we do is important not only for the direct service we provide community members, but also for advocating for immigrant communities on a systemic level.
My advice to people who want to make a change in their community is to seek opportunities that allow the different intersectionalities of your identities to flourish. Surround yourself with people who will support you by teaching you about different worlds that you may not have been exposed to. Thanks to the people I've met through CU, I now understand the intimate relationship between community health and public policy. My experiences at CU have helped me develop my core professional values of public service to immigrant communities, so I am grateful for the opportunity to work here!
You can connect with Jason at his Linked-In: