Paula Nordstrom Miranda
The VOICE Project
The VOICE Project stands for “Voting for Our Health, Interests, and Communities Everywhere.” While running a voter registration and information booth alongside MLK Jr. Freedom Youth Center volunteers, we collect quantitive data from families in the waiting rooms of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Primary Care pediatric clinic and teen clinic to survey who we are reaching and engaging. We also recruit youth aged 16-24 for interviews about voting, civic engagement, barriers youth face, and how health relates to voting. This summer, I will be assisting in transcribing interviews, coding interviews, and analyzing the qualitative and quantitative collected data.
Message To Sponsor
The URAP program has been a highlight of my undergraduate experience. As a first-generation college student, I never even imagined myself working in research. I have been working part-time jobs since I was 16 and to be supported during my summer research means a tremendous amount to me. I am able to continue learning from my mentors and contributing to work that connects our civic engagement and voting with our public health. Before being a part of URAP, I had no clue what coding meant; let alone, how to use softwares like Qualtrics and Dedoose. Thank you for giving me the chance to grow alongside this project. I am so passionate about our research project and grateful for this chance to dig deeper and analyze more this summer. It is essential to learn about barriers youth in our areas face while voting.
Major: English
Mentor: Coco Auerswald and Noor Chadha, Public Health