Social Ecology’s Dia de los Muertos Takes Home the Gold

people culturally dancing

UCI-OC Alliance is honored to have partnered with UC Irvine’s School of Social Ecology to host the second annual Dia de los Muertos at UC Irvine. More than 1,200 people of all ages gathered at the Irvine Barclay Theater for a collaborative cultural event where the lives of lost loved ones were celebrated through ofrendas…

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Member Spotlight- Iván Lugo Cardona

headshot of member Ivan

As Vice President of Global Quality, Advanced Patient Monitoring at Becton, Dickinson and Company, Iván Lugo Cardona, exemplifies leadership and community engagement as an active founding member of the UCI-OC Alliance and Health Affairs Committee Co-Chair. Distinguished for his passion, grit, and influential presence, Iván has garnered immense respect among his peers. His expertise in…

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Scholar Spotlight: Elijah Gabriel Guerra

Elijah Guerra speaking to crowd

Against all odds, Elijah Gabriel Guerra, a 3rd year criminology major at UC Irvine, has triumphed over unimaginable adversity. At 20 years old, this remarkable young man has endured more hardships than many will face in a lifetime. Courageously battling through the horrors of gang violence, abuse, crushing poverty, and heart-wrenching loss, Elijah’s indomitable spirit…

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Student Connection Event

student and staff are sitting together at uci event

UC Irvine students are undoubtedly prepared to tackle the most pressing health challenges in our community. However, the Alliance saw an opportunity to prepare our students with the soft skills needed to complement their line of work. On November 14, a range of health students attended the student connection event. They delved into the topic…

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Latinx Professionals in Medicine

uci latinx medicine professionals

Increasing the number of Latinx physicians is crucial for addressing healthcare disparities in the United States when only 6% of physicians identify as Latino or Latina. On October 1, the Alliance joined the School of Medicine and the Federally Qualified Health Center to bring visibility to the campus. UC Irvine is committed to addressing the…

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A Time of Giving

kids and family members with Christmas characters at uci toy drive

UC Irvine’s Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are at the forefront of combating health disparities in underserved low-income communities. Under the guidance of Executive Director, Dr. Jose Mayorga, the FQHC has shattered access barriers, delivering high-quality care to a diverse patient base. In a single year, the center logged nearly 117,000 visits, serving nearly 29,000…

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Holiday Gathering with a Purpose

uci staff at holiday gathering

A festive year-end feast was served with a spirit of giving and appreciation. The room was decorated with a sense of community, as Alliance members, deans, faculty, staff, and university leadership came together to celebrate our shared purpose. Our guests made thoughtful contributions including gifts of board games and Latino-authored books to be donated to…

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Campus Program Spotlight: Latinx Resource Center

Latinx Resource Center presentation

Having just celebrated its five-year anniversary, the Latinx Resource Center serves as a vibrant hub offering workshops, mentorship, cultural events and advocacy programs that empower Latinx students to shine. UCI-OC Alliance is excited to share that Excelencia in Education has recognized the Center as a 2024 Program to Watch. As we celebrate this recognition, we extend our…

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UCI-OC Alliance Team Welcomes Diana Munoz

Diana Munoz

UCI-OC Alliance warmly welcomes Diana Munoz as the new Program Associate. An Orange County native and first-generation college graduate, Diana earned her bachelor’s in business administration from California State University, Fullerton. During her time at CSUF she was very involved with the Orange County Hispanic Youth Chamber of Commerce where she helped her peers navigate…

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La Bienvenida Event Welcomes Latino/a Community at UC Irvine

UCI-OC Alliance team member helps at La Bienvenida to welcome new Latino students to UCI.

An evening to remember, La Bienvenida welcomed more than 550 students and 30+ campus groups to celebrate familia. Attendees enjoyed performances by Ballet Folklorico de UCI and our inaugural Mariachi Orgullo de UCI while enjoying a delicious Concha from Northgate Gonzalez Markets. The UCI-OC Alliance team helped welcome guests while sharing valuable resources and event…

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