Christy Alhannat (Syria)
"I graduated from UCLA in 2015 and earned a Bachelor’s of Science and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychobiology and Arabic. I am currently teaching AP Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics at the high school level full-time and am working towards medical school. My goal of becoming a pediatrician stems from my love for my brother who has special needs, and I hope to work with underserved communities in the future in order to bridge the healthcare gap and bring help to those who need it most.
Growing up in a small city in Los Angeles, I was not surrounded by any Arabs. My parents were the first from their families to emigrate from Syria to the United States. Because of this, I did not have cousins or family members nearby while growing up. At UCLA, I began to get to know other Arabs, and was very delighted to meet people that not only spoke Arabic, but shared the same culture and traditions as me! I found myself joining cultural clubs like United Arab Society and The LA Dabke Troupe, but there was something missing. The idea of a sisterhood greatly appealed to me, as I realized that this could be a way to mentor younger Arab women and provide resources that were not available to me during the beginning of my undergraduate career. I am extremely privileged to have been a founding mother of ΕΑΣ. It is not just a sorority, but rather a sisterhood of gorgeous, strong, and intelligent young women, each with different majors, religions, and personalities. We are able to come together regardless of different affiliations, contributing to our community and showing everyone the beauty of our culture. We do this while enjoying time together, supporting, and empowering one another! It is exciting to know that this organization will provide future Arab women with an opportunity to connect and form lifetime friendships, and give them the opportunity to unite and empower others together, in a way that would otherwise be very difficult!
Growing up in a small city in Los Angeles, I was not surrounded by any Arabs. My parents were the first from their families to emigrate from Syria to the United States. Because of this, I did not have cousins or family members nearby while growing up. At UCLA, I began to get to know other Arabs, and was very delighted to meet people that not only spoke Arabic, but shared the same culture and traditions as me! I found myself joining cultural clubs like United Arab Society and The LA Dabke Troupe, but there was something missing. The idea of a sisterhood greatly appealed to me, as I realized that this could be a way to mentor younger Arab women and provide resources that were not available to me during the beginning of my undergraduate career. I am extremely privileged to have been a founding mother of ΕΑΣ. It is not just a sorority, but rather a sisterhood of gorgeous, strong, and intelligent young women, each with different majors, religions, and personalities. We are able to come together regardless of different affiliations, contributing to our community and showing everyone the beauty of our culture. We do this while enjoying time together, supporting, and empowering one another! It is exciting to know that this organization will provide future Arab women with an opportunity to connect and form lifetime friendships, and give them the opportunity to unite and empower others together, in a way that would otherwise be very difficult!