Diana Maravilla, FACES Oakland Class of 2008, was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and raised in East Oakland. As an immigrant and a first generation student pursuing her educational goals, she joined the FACES for the Future program during her sophomore year of high school. What inspired Diana to explore the field of healthcare and medicine was the fact that her brother was a victim of violence in Oakland. Diana recalls the feeling of visiting the hospital and witnessing first hand the unnatural causes of violence in her community and how it impacted her brother and family. Diana shares “I remember when my brother was shot and how from that incident I was eager to learn more about our health care and how to cater to disadvantaged communities like my beloved Fruitvale district. I also remember how supportive Dr. Magaña and the FACES staff were. They provided mentorship support and they made sure we received the right exposure and training. As a FACES participant, I was able to observe various departments at Children’s Hospital such as Anesthesiology Department, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the Adolescent Medicine & Teen Health clinic. FACES gave me a glimpse of the medical field and that I too can be a part of it.”
Diana graduated in 2008 from MetWest High School as well as from the FACES program. She pursued her undergraduate studies at UC Santa Cruz as an AB 540 undocumented student and completed her B.A. degree in Sociology in 2012. Diana’s experience growing up in the Fruitvale District of Oakland, combined with the mentorship of FACES, motivated her to pursue a career in public health. She completed a Masters of Public Health degree at San Jose State University. Diana ultimately wants to work at the county or state level to promote health and create a difference through policy change. Diana’s mission in life is to protect the health of people and promote healthy communities for everyone regardless of neighborhood, gender, class, age, religion or race.
Diana now serves as the Clinic Supervisor of La Clínica de La Raza’s Havenscourt School-Based Health Center in Oakland, near the community where she grew up. In this role, Diana will oversee management of clinical operations and staff, helping the team to serve children and families in the Havenscourt area. Her new role will allow her to accomplish her life mission.