From walks to wellness events, FIU’s autoimmune awareness club turns empathy into action.
Yaelis Pena | Contributing Writer
FIU’s Student Alliance for Autoimmune Awareness (SAAA) is making invisible illnesses visible through education, advocacy, and community engagement.
The club was founded in 2021 by Valentina Medina and is aimed at bridging what she perceived as a lack in student health knowledge. Her inspiration came from watching her mom live with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, two autoimmune diseases that are very often misunderstood.
“I wanted to start something that educates people about autoimmune diseases and reminds students that support and empathy matter,” said Medina.
SAAA’s goal is to educate students about more than 100 autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, and Crohn’s.
Ethan Johnson, current president of SAAA and a computer engineering major on the pre-medical track, said, “We are here to raise awareness for autoimmune conditions and build a community to help those with autoimmune conditions.”
He added, “Autoimmune diseases may be invisible, but the people living with them shouldn’t be.”
This fall, the club collaborated with the National Autoimmune Association to host the Hope Journey Walk, a countrywide movement that backs research and advocacy for autoimmune diseases. Students made posters, handed out information, and raised money for research.
Although the club’s membership was primarily made up of pre-health majors, Johnson mentioned that now the organization has students of a variety of majors.
“I feel like this year is all about expanding,” Johnson said. “Just outside of the pre-health bubble, we want to expand and collaborate with other organizations… and continue to educate people about autoimmune conditions and raise money to support people with autoimmune conditions.”
By joining forces with the Yoga & Meditation Club, Nursing Student Association, and CURE at FIU, the SAAA fosters mindfulness, wellness, and community for students suffering from chronic illnesses or supporting loved ones affected.
SAAA goes beyond events and encourages advocacy through writing campaigns and educational outreach. The club’s slogan, “Where empathy meets action,” expresses its aim of converting enlightenment into advocacy.
“Even if you haven’t attended any events in the past, we are always welcoming people,” Johnson said. “If you attend eight events or get eight member points, then you can become an active member, and you get some benefits once you become one.”
Medina said seeing students unite around the cause reminds her why the organization exists: to make autoimmune awareness visible and lasting at FIU.
Students interested in joining or learning more about SAAA can find the organization on PantherConnect or Instagram @saaa.fiu.
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