During the 2026 Pediatric Academy Societies Meeting in Boston, the ASPN Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee hosted a networking and community service event titled “Connect and Champion.” In collaboration with Boston University Latino Medical Student Association, ASPN members and BU medical students assembled care packages for children participating in Dia del Niño, a community celebration hosted by the Veronica Robles Cultural Center. Support from the ASPN Foundation also helped provide ice cream for children attending the event.
This initiative provided an opportunity to give back to the local Latin American community, while also fostering connections with medical students and encouraging interest in pediatric nephrology. We had a great team of volunteers that made ~120 goodie bags!
ASPN JEDI Committee Co-Chairs Yonique Petgrave and Lela Villegas with Boston University LMSA chapter members Ximena Beltran and Luz Cumpa during the “Connect and Champion” community event
As JEDI Committee Co-Chairs, Yonique and Lela, are excited to continue incorporating community engagement events into future ASPN meetings. We look forward to bringing this event model to the inaugural ASPN Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Members interested in joining the JEDI committee, please join through the “Member Portal” by selecting “Join a Committee,” or by contacting the committee co-chairs directly. Our next meeting is on: Tues, June 2nd at 3 PM EST.
LMSA and ASPN members making the goodie bags together
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Posted: May 28, 2026