Hana Thai

Hana Thai is a junior double majoring in Government and International Relations and Global Studies specializing in International Political Economy, focussing on the Middle East as a region. She has a minor in Arabic and is pursuing a Bridging Disciplines Program Certificate in Children and Society. She is passionate about her work with Girl Forward, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting refugee and displaced girls with their English language learning and their development as intelligent and confident women. Hana feels strongly that one of the keys to sustainable international development is an ethical and research-based investment in people, especially young girls and their access to quality education and mental health resources.

This past year, Hana and her peers co-founded a non-profit organization called Safa Institute that is dedicated to breaking down barriers to mental health for young Muslim adults through research, funding, and ensuring access to culturally competent mental health services. At UT, she continues to nurture her identity as a Muslim woman and leader in her community as the Muslim Student Association’s Vice President. Hana hopes to encourage those around her to be unapologetic about who they are and what they are passionate about in this life as she works towards her goal of empowering girls in any space she enters and dismantling the systems that silence them.