When she first stepped into York University as a first-year undergraduate student, Ruth Zaza says she felt like an imposter.
Now, 21 and in her fourth year in the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences in the Faculty of Health, Zaza is a recognized student leader committed to health equity, community engagement and youth empowerment. She's applying to medical school to fulfill the dream she developed at York of becoming a family doctor and working in primary care.
“Going into university, I didn't know what I wanted to do and I didn't know the type of impact that I wanted to make,” she says. “Honestly, if you were to ask undergrad first-year me if I would be doing all of this, I would think that I couldn't, mainly because I suffered from a lot of imposter syndrome.”
She was motivated by the opportunities living in Canada afforded, but says her real inspiration to make the most of her education came when she started as a student volunteer at the Black Creek Community Health Centre, which cares for people in her old Jane-Finch neighbourhood.
“Having grown up in the Jane and Finch community, I've seen a lot of disparity, especially within health. I've seen community members have hesitancy to seek help because of fear and mistrust in the medical profession,” she says. "But at the clinic, I saw many Black physicians who are truly inspiring. Witnessing the impact they had and the connections they were building made me realize how important representation is, and it motivated me to pursue a similar path."
Zaza is already making a difference. At the health centre, she works alongside an interdisciplinary care team to provide accessible blood pressure and blood sugar checks. She says the medical staff there are open to her ideas, including how to connect with people from diverse backgrounds, particularly younger generations.
“I’m the youngest person there, but they allow me a lot of autonomy. I can express my thoughts and give ideas and it gives me a sense of fulfillment. It makes me feel good,” she says.
Zaza has shown leadership for her communities in other ways too.
She partnered on the Black Donors Save Lives campaign to address racial disparities in stem cell donor representation and she co-founded The Kindness Project, driving positive change and raising funds for Horizons for Youth, which supports at-risk youth with health education, housing and life transition services.
Passionate about empowering others, she actively encourages young Black students to engage and make a difference.
“I always try to encourage people, and I let them know that you can do anything and there's always alternative routes and different resources,” Zaza says. “It's always good to give back. I recommend it for anyone.”