Yesenia Chavez
Community Organizer with United Neighbors of the 10th Ward
Pre-med Student
Topics: community organizing and advocacy, mental health, environmental justice, Stop General Iron campaign
About
Yesenia M. Chavez was born and raised on the Southeast Side of Chicago. She is a third-generation 10th ward resident and the eldest daughter of Mexican Immigrants. As a pre-med student, she is currently pursuing her interest in public health and neuroscience. In 2021, as a Michael Reese Foundation Scholar, with the mentorship of the Medical Organization for Latino advancement, she completed research studying the impact of air pollution on mental health outcomes of Chicago Latine children. She is the Co-Chair of the Community Wellness Committee for United Neighbors of the 10th Ward and a community organizer on the Southeast Side. Yesenia advocates for environmental justice, health equity, and enjoys connecting with high school students to teach them how pollution can affect human health. Her recent experience as an organizer and Chicago hunger striker for the Stop General Iron campaign, a movement ignited by environmental racism, identified the need for data to support advocacy efforts towards equitable and sustainable reform. Ultimately, this experience was pivotal in leading Yesenia towards her current endeavors as a student and member of her community.