As an Emerging Fellow at the Roosevelt Network, Safiyah Zaidi focuses on the reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity in Texas through the integration of non-traditional birthing assistants into prenatal care. Passionate about the intersection of healthcare and human rights, Safiyah Zaidi is a Eugene McDermott Scholar at The University of Texas at Dallas studying biology and political science.
She has a strong interest in health policy and previously worked in her campus’ chapter of the Roosevelt Network as a team leader. Her group produced policy suggestions to improve access to emergency medical interventions for Texas’ uninsured populations. Her health advocacy experience deepened through work with the Primary Care Collaborative, where she served as a policy intern to analyze real-time trends related to the impact of Covid-19 on health systems. She then interned for Al Jazeera English, where she worked in investigate journalism to explore stories related to health, gender, and accountability. She is excited to unite her various interests by understanding health care’s unique role as an agent of global justice and international development and plans on pursuing a Masters in global public health.