optiMize

Week 5&6 was filled with learning, collaboration, and meaningful connections!

Cohort XIV Spotlight: Clean Plate Club

Founded by Marjolaine Enabo, Clean Plate Club is a student-led initiative dedicated to helping college students build healthier eating habits by providing practical nutrition education and accessible cooking resources.

Inspired by the challenges many students face when balancing nutrition, dietary restrictions, and busy schedules, Marjolaine aims to create a supportive community where students can learn from nutritionists, culinary professionals, and one another. Through hands-on workshops and interactive events, Clean Plate Club empowers students to make quick, affordable, and healthy meals with confidence.

We’re excited to spotlight Marjolaine’s vision and look forward to seeing the positive impact Clean Plate Club will have on campuses and student wellbeing!

✨ Cohort XIV Spotlight: Chatita ✨

Founded by Lucero Toral Dominguez, Chatita is a bilingual digital health platform helping people with diabetes better understand their glucose levels and make informed decisions about their health.

Inspired by both personal and family experiences with Type 2 diabetes, Lucero is working to make glucose data more accessible and easier to understand through personalized insights, meal tracking, and continuous glucose monitoring integration. By bridging the gap between complex health data and everyday decision-making, Chatita empowers users to take a more active role in managing their health.

We’re excited to spotlight Lucero’s innovative work and look forward to seeing the impact Chatita continues to make for individuals and families navigating diabetes. ✨

✨ Cohort XIV Spotlight: Buds2Bloom ✨

Founded by Drevious Duncan, Kennedi Taylor, Isis Williams, and Aniyah Harris, Buds2Bloom is dedicated to making sexual health education more inclusive, accessible, and empowering for underserved communities. 🌱💜

Through medically informed, sex-positive education, their team works to help young people build confidence in their understanding of their bodies, health, and wellbeing. By expanding conversations around women’s health, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and disability-focused sexual education, they are creating spaces where everyone can learn and feel supported.

We’re excited to spotlight the important work Buds2Bloom is doing and look forward to seeing the impact they continue to make on campus and beyond! ✨

✨ Cohort XIV Spotlight: Bosnian American Medical Professionals ✨

Founded by Jusuf Halilovic and Mejra Terzic, Bosnian American Medical Professionals is dedicated to improving access to healthcare through preventive screenings, culturally responsive health education, and community-centered care.

Inspired by the healthcare challenges many Bosnian-American families face, their team works to create trusted spaces where individuals can access resources, learn about their health, and receive support navigating the healthcare system.

This summer, they are focused on expanding their community health fair model, strengthening partnerships with local leaders and clinicians, and increasing access to care for underserved communities across Michigan.

We’re excited to spotlight their impactful work and look forward to seeing the difference they continue to make! 💙

May was filled with learning, connection, and growth. Through PODs, workshops, networking events, and our Detroit Trek, fellows strengthened their skills, built meaningful relationships, and continued creating impact in their communities. 🌐✨

🌐 Cohort XIV Spotlight: Birthday Smiles

Founded by Keeya Sannake and Natalie Juszczyk, Birthday Smiles is a nonprofit dedicated to bringing the joy of birthday celebrations to children, even when resources are limited! 🎂

Their mission is to create meaningful memories for children and families by providing support, spreading joy, and building a strong sense of community. Through their passion for helping others, they hope to make birthdays special for children and families with limited resources.

We’re so excited to spotlight the amazing work they are doing and can’t wait to see the impact Birthday Smiles continues to make! 🌟

Congratulations to our lovely seniors! 🎓🩵
We are so proud of you and grateful for all the amazing work you’ve done! 🌟

Workshop 4 was all about prototyping!

Participants created low-fidelity prototypes, gathered feedback, and shared ideas across the cohort to keep refining their solutions.

Iteration is everything. 🌐💡✨