Lava Kareem

UConn School of Pharmacy

I was born and raised in Bridgeport and Fairfield, both in Connecticut. My parents are Kurdish refugees that came to the United States in 1997 fleeing persecution during the Anfal Genocide. From a young age, I was heavily exposed to negative social determinants of health and the traumatic, lasting impacts of war.

My upbringing taught me the power of mutual aid within communities sharing language, values, and struggles. I speak Kurdish and Spanish, and understand Arabic and Farsi at a basic level, which helps me thrive among my diverse co-workers at Yale New Haven’s Smilow Cancer Hospital. I have also leveraged my abilities in language and cultural humility in mentoring adolescents in Kids & UConn Bridging Education, organizing cultural events for UConn’s Middle Eastern Student Association, and raising money for school supplies for underfunded elementary schools, among other activities.

I believe that the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program will further my ability to establish meaningful connections with members of underserved communities. With the UST/AS Program’s extensive teachings on how to fill gaps in health literacy, I hope to help underserved communities learn how they can overcome systematic marginalization.