Lilianne (Lily) Samara was born in Brooklyn, NY. She is of Palestinian descent on her father’s side and of Italian descent on her mother’s side. She currently resides in Staten Island, NY and is a rising high school senior.

 

        Lily has always had a passion for bringing awareness to mental health and well-being in her community. She currently sits on the National Teen Advisory Board of Bring Change to Mind (BC2M), a national organization whose mission is to end stigma around mental illness. Lily has also served as president of her school’s BC2M chapter for two years.

 

        Looking ahead to college, Lily hopes to major in Psychology. She aspires to become a psychologist with a focus on trauma response and management, particularly among refugees and disenfranchised populations. She also plans to pursue proficiency in American Sign Language while in college and hopes to provide services to hearing impaired children as well.

 

        As the daughter of a Palestinian immigrant, Lily has a deep commitment to wellness among members of the Arab diaspora who navigate unique challenges and barriers to mental health. She is passionate about breaking the stigma associated with mental health care in the society at large, and more specifically within the Arab-American community.