FOCUS
Sarina is passionate about investigating the legacies of settler colonialism and systemic racism in federal, state, and local health policies. She wants to understand how socioeconomic structures informed by colonialism and racialized capitalism shape health, labor, economic, environmental, and immigration policy. Based in California’s Central Valley, she will focus her research on farm workers and farm worker communities. This region has some of the highest poverty rates in the nation and faces chronic health provider shortages. Despite contributing so much to California’s booming economy, many farm workers experience dangerous working conditions and tremendous barriers to care. She will prioritize the lived experiences and perspectives of community members and local leaders. By working alongside groups who are experiencing the largest obstacles to achieving equity, she aims to identify and inform policies that best remove and prevent barriers to quality healthcare.
MORE ABOUT SARINA
Born and raised in Northern California, Sarina enjoys spending her time backpacking, running, and being outside in nature. She also participates in traditional Aztec dancing (danza Azteca) as a way to reconnect herself to her spiritual and cultural roots. To serve her community, she helps with food distributions and serves on a local health board.
