We are committed to dismantling racism and intersecting systems of oppression that endanger the health and lives of Black people and those most marginalized in our community. At the same time, we work to cultivate sustainable and effective pathways toward liberation that center the needs, priorities, and self-determination of Black people and other communities of color.
We are a collective of medical students within the UC Berkeley - UCSF Joint Medical Program, pursuing our master’s degrees and MDs . Many of us come from historically marginalized and disadvantaged backgrounds, and we recognize the specific challenges and barriers to recruiting and supporting underrepresented minority students. Drawing on our experiences as URM medical students, we aim to support premedical students at UC Berkeley and across the greater Bay Area. As medical students, we work to uncover the hidden curriculum for URM students at Berkeley and strengthen pathway connections across the lengthy application timeline for those underrepresented in medicine. Through initiatives such as Big C Funding, we provide longitudinal mentorship and host events that equip premedical students with valuable information, foster connections to nearby medical institutions, and create meaningful networking opportunities that are critical for career advancement.
In alignment with this mission, we ground all of our actions in an anti-racist framework, recognizing racism as a public health issue. We strive to expand access to and interest in health professions among Black and other underrepresented learners through mentorship, education, and community-building. We actively challenge and advocate against anti-Black racism within the UC system and the broader medical community, while partnering with and amplifying East Bay organizations whose work centers community health, justice, and the liberation of Black people and other communities of color.