GSEE and DGH Graduate Excellence Award Research Assistantship with Dr. Susan Graham 

Master of Public Health in Global Health 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. 

I am local to the PNW and a product of immigration — most of my family still lives in México. I am the first person in my family to pursue a graduate education. Academically, anthropology comes first, and my training as an anthropologist shapes how I see the world and approach my work.

Why did you decide to attend the UW for graduate school?

I've always been inspired by communities in far-away places (to the Pacific Northwest), specifically North African and rural/indigenous Hispanic groups. My applied work at Seattle Children's Hospital gave me firsthand experience working with transnational im/migrant groups, Alaska Natives, and populations with refugee status. Seeing the complex interplay between social determinants of health, country of origin, and health care experience inspired me to want to make a proactive difference. UW's MPH program is highly respected globally and I appreciated the global emphasis and interdisciplinary nature of the program. I also wanted to learn among the best and most inquisitive minds in the world, and here I am!

What are your research interests and career goals?

I want to bring the injustices and realities represented by historically marginalized groups to the forefront of public consciousness. I plan to produce anthropologically-oriented documentaries with every research project that I undertake so my findings can be disseminated beyond academic communities. By engaging the public, I want to encourage better stewardship of economic and community resources, change policy, and inspire a deeper appreciation for communities that might be misrepresented or misunderstood. In my work, I lean heavily on critical medical anthropology and liberation theology, and I'm especially interested in social hierarchies, health inequalities, semiotic resistance, and embodiment.

Did your award influence your decision to attend the UW?

Absolutely! Obtaining funding for a graduate degree is extremely competitive; even with this fellowship I still had to find additional funding to support additional academic expenses.

When you aren't studying, where is your favorite place to hangout in Seattle?

Volunteer Park in the summer, or Ada's Technical Books on 15th Ave on Capitol Hill.