Serena is a recent graduate from UC Merced with a degree in English Literature and a passion for all things artistic. Despite her degree, after graduating Serena decided to take the first step in her career by working in a completely different field. Serena began working in psychiatric hospitals around Merced County and most recently, she worked to bridge the gaps between patients and access to care through medical case management and homelessness assistance. She hopes her background in behavioral health can help her bring a fresh approach to working with youth who do not have these concerns addressed in school. Hoping to return to her education roots, Serena is excited to join the yli family.
Serena was raised predominantly in Virginia and Okinawa, Japan, coming to California in her sophomore year of high school. Her experience living in a foreign country while trying to remain connected to her Black-Algerian heritage pushed her towards becoming involved in the arts where she used her love for music to retell the stories of underrepresented people. During her time in college, Serena used storytelling with groups like Shakespeare in Yosemite to reclaim the works of William Shakespeare and address social issues like racism, gender identity, environmental justice, and many more. She also researched and created a digital archive of grassroots organizations that all focus on giving power back to people through the device of theater.
When she is not working, Serena enjoys cooking, experimenting with coffee/matcha, and singing. She is a lover of horror movies and all things culinary – you can usually find her watching the newest cooking show. Outside of yli, she creates media and mentors youth in the Bay Area on financial awareness and college readiness.