Year

2024 - Present

Project

Digital Healing Project





About
Divestments in public schools, gun violence, lack of access to culturally relevant care, and paternalistic approaches to healing have negatively impacted BIPOC youth for generations. COVID-19 has further contributed to negative societal development outcomes and highlighted a need for hybrid after school programming. In partnership with Creative Resilient Youth (CRY) and University of Pennsylvania researchers, the Digital Healing project sought to co-design a digital product to expand CRY’s efforts to support young artists connect and care for their mental well-being.

AudiencePhiladelphia youth (14 to 25 years of age)

RoleCo-Principle Investigator
Co-Design Facilitator
Design Advisor 






My  Role
I partnered with social work, nursing, design, and engineering research partners at the University of Pennsylvania to secure a grant for this project. 

As a co-principal investigator and community steward, I led a cross-functional team to plan, recruit, facilitate, and co-design a digital wellness product. More specifically, I advised and helped manage young leaders and emerging product designers and through the first phase of our collaboration. 

The Digital Healing project is currently in development and will be piloted with public health researchers in Spring 2025.


A prototype made by product designer Eileen Fung.






Credits
Collaborators
Social Policy and Practice Lead: Siva Mathiyazhagan, PhD MSW
Engineering Lead, Sharath Chandra Guntuku, PhD
Engineering research assistant, Sebin Lee
Engineering research assistant,Manvi Saul
Nursing Lead, Seul Ki Choi, PhD, MPH
Product Designer, Eileen Feng
Creative Lead and Product Steward, Taylor Townes
Creative Lead, Hayley Yuen
Creative Lead, Erika Ramirez-Lopez
Creative Lead, Deana Tham
Creative Resilient Youth Community Partner, Avani Alvarez