Kara Burks

Hello LAH! My name is Kara Burks and I am a sophomore majoring in Psychology and Humanities (Child Advocacy and International Politics) with a minor in Government. I am currently one of the social media managers for the LAH program. If you follow our Instagram, I am the person who creates our infographics, highlights, and any non-video content (shoutout to Kayla Sorge, my colleague who is in charge of our LAH Ambushes). When I am not creating content for LAH, I am interning with the Disability Cultural Center on campus. The DCC provides disabled UT students with resources and opportunities to connect with one another on the basis of disability. The organization also outreaches to able-bodied students for educational purposes and provides a platform for disabled students to share their experiences with those outside of the community. As a type one diabetic, the DCC has been a reflective space for me to work at with fellow disabled individuals. Check us out! 

Outside of internships, I am the President of GirlAdvocates!, a women empowerment organization on campus. GA! is open to anyone who wants to get involved with advocating for women’s rights and equality on a local to global level. We just wrapped up our fundraiser for The Pink Fund, an organization that provides financial support to low-income women currently fighting breast cancer. Our project was a success thanks to our fantastic Service Director, Romina Trevino, our Social Director, Paulina Marcos, our Membership Director, Ananya Vegesna and all of our wonderful members who tabled for funds! I am also the Social Media Chair for Disability Advocacy Student Coalition (DASC) and a member of The Cauliflower Project, an LAH and Plan ll dance club. Both of these organizations have been such a great way to connect with other UT students!

UT Austin has given me opportunities I could never have dreamed of. However, the LAH Program has been the overall life changing component for me. LAH is where I have met my lifelong friends, professors like Dr. Sarah Angulo who is the reason why I feel secure with my decision to attend law school to become a child advocate attorney, advisors such as Dr. Mayhew and Stacey (queens!) and where I have found my purpose in life. Without LAH, I never could have achieved what I have so far in my academic and professional career. 

UT Austin and the LAH Program have provided me with a copious amount of tools to help me lead a successful career and overall life. From the university’s amazing courses to its talented professors, I believe that I will leave the campus a more well rounded individual ready to change the world for the better.