Profile

About: Hey, everyone! I'm Shreya Tamma, and I'm from Irving, TX.

I am a third-year Biomedical Engineering undergraduate student at The University of Texas at Austin graduating with a certificate in Social Inequality, Health, and Policy. I am deeply passionate about the convergence of medicine and technology with social justice, and hope to work at the intersection of these fields as a physician and public health researcher in the future.

I was born in Hyderabad, India, and have grown up all over the world: from Lausanne, Switzerland and Iselin, New Jersey, to Bentonville, Arkansas, and finally Dallas, Texas. I have a younger sister, Ishani, and am currently fostering an adorable, graceful cat from APA! named Chimichanga.

At UT, I'm involved with the Texas Orange Jackets and the Student Engineering Council. In the past, I have also worked with incredible organizations such as the Texas Menstrual Equity Coalition, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Women in Global Health. Some other things I love: Harry Potter, houseplants, working out, thrifting & second-hand decor, silent discos, road tripping, roller coasters, strawberries, camping, photoshoots, matcha, and chocolate. <3

Thanks for taking the time to read my profile!

Why I Ride

During one of my first classes at UT, a guest speaker presented a personal project in reflection on the pandemic. It was a compilation of every single GoFundMe comment posted under healthcare-related pages, from folks raising money for their own hospital bills to families asking for support after the passing of a loved one. Thousands of messages from strangers on the internet with well wishes and notes of sympathy, courage, and hope. And yet despite all of the positive words of support, this archive represents the failure of America’s for-profit healthcare system. The class discourse that followed opened my eyes to the reality of healthcare disparities in my own community.

These experiences and more motivate me to ride, volunteer, and fundraise for Texas 4000 for Cancer. I recognize the importance of mutual aid work and want to be part of the “village” it takes to support families affected by this harrowing disease. For all those who have been affected by cancer and neglected by a healthcare system that prioritizes pharmaceutical companies, hospital board members, and politicians more than their own lives, I am driven to devote myself to their recovery in any way I can. I ride for all those folks unable to access proper education and resources or receive an adequate quality of care due to their socioeconomic background, race, gender, or housing status.

I ride for my mama and papa, who have empowered me to realize the value of an education and give my time to such causes. I ride for my badima and nanu, whose beautiful and inspiring legacy I follow. I ride for my younger sister, who I learn from each day and hope to leave behind a radically-optimistic and revolutionary vision for.

I would be honored to ride for those in your life who have been affected by cancer or health disparities, and anyone else close to your heart. If you're comfortable, please reach out to me at shreyatamma@utexas.edu - I would love to hear your story.

With love from Austin to Anchorage,
Shreya Tamma

GoFundMe archive: https://getwellsoon.labr.io/, via Sam Lavigne.
Follow my T4K journey on Instagram @withlove.shreya !