Hey Y'all! My name is Thamara Subramanian, and I am so excited to start my year as an NHC Chicago member, serving as a Health Promoter for Heartland Health Center - Lincoln Square/Albany Park. Born and raised in Kansas, and a University of Michigan (UM) alumna, I have grown to love the Midwest. During my time at UM, I became heavily involved in looking at the intersection of social justice and healthcare, through working as an Eating Disorder and Body Image Program Assistant at my school's wellness program, working with MEDLIFE, a global health NGO, and facilitating social justice education programs through the Program on Intergroup Relations. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, practicing yoga, exploring nature, doing artsy things, and trying out every new restaurant I can find!
I have always had a passion for health care and hope to work towards initiating systemic changes to help the various communities in Chicago. As a first-generation woman of color, I have both witnessed and personally experienced the barriers and systemic problems in our healthcare system. Thus, I hope to learn more about the different systemic issues that play a role in regional and national public health systems. I also look forward to creating and initiating health education programming and collaborating with the people of Chicago to create programs that they want, in order to empower them to harness health and wellness in their daily lives. I am so grateful to be embarking on my career in public health in the Windy Ciity, and I hope to gain professional skills, while learning more about the relationships between nutrition and mental health, disease prevention, and everything in between from my clinic and fellow NHC members.
This blog post was written by incoming NHC Chicago 2016-17 member Thamara Subramanian.
