Watch Sharmain's fundraising video here!

Sharmain Siddiqui, a MD candidate at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, is deeply passionate about food sovereignty and health access in food-apartheid stricken areas in Chicago. She aims to engage with the existing infrastructure at Little Village Environmental Justice Organization’s (LVEJO) urban farm in Little Village, Chicago. The goals of her project are two-fold: first, she is teaching a decolonized herbal medicine curriculum that is culturally tailored to the Mexican community in Little Village. Second, she is using the herbs grown from this curriculum to construct a mutual-aid apothecary for community members.

Sharmain is hoping for $500 for herbal-packaging supplies, which will be housed in the apothecary, $500 for constructing the physical apothecary, $600 for supplies to create physical copies of the curriculum, and $100 for high-quality farming equipment. 

Founded in 1996, Health & Medicine’s Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program cultivates aspiring health and human services professionals to be informed, concerned, and involved with addressing health inequities. Each year, the Schweitzer Program provides 30 exceptional students with opportunities to design and implement projects to improve the health and well-being of underserved Chicago communities. Fellows’ projects often address the social determinants of health, and their activities frequently include tutoring, violence prevention, health education, healthy lifestyles promotion, and outreach to vulnerable and marginalized groups.

Through their community projects and participation in a year-long program that includes mentoring support, monthly meetings, written reflection, and interprofessional collaboration, Schweitzer Fellows develop the skills and confidence needed to become Leaders in Service—professionals who will remain dedicated to public service and creating change.

Each of the Fellows has created a wish list of supplies and resources that will help them bring their project goals to life. Please consider supporting a specific Fellow project or donating to the general Schweitzer project fund.

The Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program is a program of Health & Medicine Policy Research Group. Your Fellows Fest donation will appear on your credit card statement as "Health & Medicine."