Yesika Menera Earns Undergraduate Research Poster Award at the SACNAS
USD McNair Scholars, Yesika Menera, recently received the Undergraduate Research Poster Award at the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science conference. SACNAS is an “inclusive organization dedicated to fostering the success of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans, from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM”. SACNAS works to serve those underrepresented in the STEM community, by giving them the support they need to obtain advanced degrees, careers, and positions in leadership.
Menera was able to present her research “How Housing Insecurity Impact Women” while at the conference and was able to share and educate peers and doctors on housing insecurity issues. She says that while there, she was inspired, “seeing many people who look like me or part of the BIPOC community aspiring with the same dream and goal in such a narrow field was just so encouraging and uplifting.” Menera is grateful to McNair for giving her the opportunity to do this research.
Read Yesika Menera’s abstract below:
Studies show individuals experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity also experience trauma and mental illnesses. Despite this, many resources provided through state welfare services seldom allocate sufficient funds and personnel to help deal with past traumas such as PTSD. This study investigates the relationship between housing insecurity and homelessness and trauma for adult women who have tried to access assistance through Southern California. To do this, I conducted one-on-one audio-recorded interviews for approximately one hour and afterward the completion of one questionnaire called the PTSD Checklist DSM5 (PCL-5) –Adult (18+). Based on the in-depth questions and questionnaires, adult women who have experienced homelessness and housing insecurity in Southern California are susceptible to retraumatization by welfare services, irrespective of whether they received assistance or not. The results from this study can be used to implement trauma-informed care services into welfare services and improve the resources for housing insecure women.