LORENA SERRATO

Hometown: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
School: University of Oklahoma
Major: Health & Exercise Science
Placement: The Office of Rep. Dean Phillips

Lorena Serrato was born and raised in the southside of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Both of her parents immigrated from Mexico to give their children a better quality of life in what is known as “the land of opportunity.” This decision meant leaving behind their friends, family, and home to begin a new life and provide a better future for their children. Lorena witnessed her family endure numerous economic, cultural, emotional, and physical hardships, inspiring her to be the first person in her family to pursue higher education.

Lorena was able to advance her education by being the first in her family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Health and Exercise Science in the Spring of 2021 from the University of Oklahoma, over the course of only three years. Lorena plans on pursuing a master’s degree in Public Health and Health Care Administration with an emphasis on the public policy aspect of health care. Her ideal career goal is to be an advocate for low-income minority communities by working to diminish the health care disparities that are prominent in the Black and Latinx/Hispanic community, while also addressing the social determinants of health.

As a CHCI Intern, Lorena hopes to equip herself with the necessary tools to create policies that address the needs of marginalized communities and change the systems of oppression that her community has suffered through. She hopes to gain insight into the governmental process that will ultimately help her become the best advocate for her community.