Promote health in 100 teens in Portland, Oregon

Growing up in a family struggling financially forced Kim to face a myriad of obstacles. Her parents, who escaped Vietnam and eventually settled in Oregon, had to overcome many hardships while adapting to a new culture and raising three young children. Kim’s family situation opened her to realizations of life in a marginalized environment that would soon trigger her desire to better herself and those around her.

While she prepares for medical school, Kim is giving back to her community. One of the ways she reaches out to her community is by volunteering to mentor youth living in similar circumstances as her own. With MIKE Program, Kim is able to infuse her growing dedication to health to inspire the next generation of youth.

Each week, Kim enthusiastically greets her team of ninth graders at De La Salle North Catholic High School with questions and encouragement. The teens immediately respond with conversations until class begins. Kim is one of 10 mentors this semester at the north Portland school who are guiding youth toward healthy behaviors that can decrease the impact of chronic diseases.

Each class session with MIKE begins with a healthy snack. Kim and the teens discuss what makes the snacks healthy and how each food might fit into their family routine at home. It’s one of many ways MIKE helps guide youth toward increasing their knowledge and skills around promoting good health.

“I strive to be the mentor that I needed,” says Kim. “As a mentor, I am not the only one making an impact, for they have impacted me equally.”

Kim says her undergraduate work in biology, along with research into poverty issues, helps position her to be a better representative for communities of color and low socio-economic status.

“My father was the sole provider of our family, so we grew up with very little money,” says Kim. She says her mother was unable to work due to beatings from security workers with the Vietnam government when she tried to flee the country. As she grew up, she saw how poverty and racism affected the health of those most vulnerable. “I know how life can be hectic and misfortune can come at any time.”

Kim pushed passed her struggles by becoming involved in everything she could in school with a determination to become a leader within her community. She began by mentoring youth at her high school, then expanded when she attended Portland State University. She was president of the Portland State Women’s Rugby team and served in student government.

“I realized how influential the power of representation can be, even on a small scale,” says Kim. “Often times it is difficult for students of color to see themselves as health leaders if they don’t ever see any representation.”

Kim returned to MIKE to mentor for a second year, this year, to continue introducing youth to new health concepts, build on healthy skills and open the youth to new opportunities in health care careers. Kim says all her experiences help shape her commitment to becoming a primary care physician and working in underrepresented communities.

“MIKE is important to me because it allows me to work with the youth,” she says. “Coming from a low income family, I wish I had a program like this when I was a freshman in high school.”

That’s why your support helps give Kim the opportunity to directly impact the lives of young people in her community. Together, we can all create a healthier outcome.

Links:

• MIKE Program website