S2Ep1: Meet the Hosts Bernie, Nicole, & Ivie: Community Organizing, Engineering, & Family Dreams

Woke WOC Docs

Happy 2019 y’all. We’re so excited to launch Season 2 of Woke WOC Docs. In this episode, you’ll learn more about something y’all really should heard a long time ago: who we are as hosts and why this podcast matters to us in the first place. In spite of our diverse journeys coming into medicine (from community organizing to bioengineering to family hopes and dreams), we all came together to start Woke WOC Docs as a project to ground ourselves and transform medicine by the aspirations, hopes, and dreams of ourselves, ancestors, and communities we represent. You’ll hear more about what excites us, frustrates us, and gives us strength as we continue our journeys in medicine. Here’s to embarking on a new year of growth together. Check out Bernie’s article in The Tempest: Medicine won’t be able to progress until it surrounds itself with women of color (https://thetempest.co/2019/02/03/now-beyond/science/medicine-wont-be-able-to-progress-until-it-surrounds-itself-with-women-of-color/) #Medicine, #WokeWOCDocs, #MelaninInMedicine, #Health, #HealthJustice Bios: Bernadette (Bernie) Lim is a creator, healer, and warrior. She was born in Los Angeles and grew up in a family with a Filipino and Chinese immigrant heritage. She's an MD/MSc. student at the Joint Medical Program (JMP) at the UC San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine and UC Berkeley School of Public Health. She graduated from Harvard in 2016 in human biology, gender studies, and global health and pursued a Fulbright Scholarship to India after graduation. She is a founder and lead student organizer of the Freedom School for Intersectional Medicine and Health Justice and Freedom Community Clinic. Previously, she was also the founder and Executive Director of Women SPEAK. She is a plant mama and enjoys R&B/soul music, playing piano, yoga, and the occasional turn-up. Nicole Carvajal was born and raised in Van Nuys, CA. Living in a medically underserved community and the daughter of immigrants, she experienced health inequities first-hand. She attended community college and later transferred to UC Riverside to pursue her interests in bioengineering. Upon graduation, she moved to the East Coast to conduct research at the NIH – NIBIB, where she focused on biophysical research involving the biological applications of atomic force microscopy. She also found opportunities to interact with patients and physicians. It was through these interactions that she saw a necessity for physicians with her background and life experiences that helped reaffirm her interest in pursuing a medical degree. She moved to San Francisco to participate in the UCSF Post Baccalaureate Program where she learned more about issues affecting underserved communities. She later worked as a staff research associate in a UCSF Cancer Immunotherapy laboratory and volunteered as a mentor for community programs promoting higher education. Ivie Tokunboh was born and raised in Southern California. As the daughter of Nigerian immigrants, she has always felt a kinship with other first-generation Americans and exploring what it means to navigate the world with a multi-cultural perspective. During her four years at Harvard, Ivie studied Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology and Social Anthropology. While there, she invested time in groups that she held near and dear to her heart, namely the hip-hop dance community, the Catholic community, the Nigerian community, and the Harvard Square Homeless Clinic. After graduation, she worked as a clinical research coordinator and research assistant for UCLA Stroke Center. It was there that she was reminded of the value of the clinician-patient relationship first-hand as she often served as a liaison for communication between physicians and patients. She recently moved from Los Angeles to San Francisco to pursue medical school. When not in class or studying, Ivie enjoys listening to music, singing, dancing, writing and running.