UIC Public Health Students Lead Conference on Community Advocacy and Public Policy

In April 2025, students of the UIC School of Public Health presented the 16th annual Minority Health Conference. With an overarching theme of “Mobilizing for Health: Community Advocacy and Public Policy”, the daylong event featured workshops, lectures and poster presentations highlighting student-led community work. Conference organizers aimed to highlight that “meaningful, lasting change often begins at the grassroots level.”

Among the student presenters was second-year medical student Yarid Mera (pictured above), whose poster demonstrated his work with the Mini Health Professions Program (MHPP), part of UIC’s Urban Health Program. Mera’s presentation affirmed the learning progress made by participating fourth- and fifth-graders.

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