Sophia Yen – Co-Founder of SheHeroes, Pediatrician, and Advocate

Los Altos, CA

Who are you?

I am a co-founder of SheHeroes, a non-profit started by three women that want to show tweens that young women can grow up and be whatever they work hard towards. We are starting in Denver and going city to city as we raise funds.

I am a pediatrician who took another three years to specialize in teenagers. I am board certified in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. I advocate for adolescents’ reproductive rights and other rights.

I am a mother to two Taiwanese-Korean-American girls and daughter to great Taiwanese Americans.

What do you do?

SheHeroes is about youth development. We have teenagers interview local “SheHeroes” (aiming for Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and other fields in which women are under-represented) and thus they get to meet and be inspired by these local SheHeroes and make a connection. Our content is free on the web for PTAs, after school programs, parents, schools, anyone to use and see and benefit from.

I see patients in my clinic and teach medical students, residents, fellows how to take care of teenagers. I advocate for my patients. I serve on the board of the Center for Reproductive Rights. I am politically active both locally and nationally.

Why are you proud to be of Taiwanese heritage?

I am 2nd generation. I am proud to be Taiwanese because that is the country from which my parents came from. My father came from humble beginnings and my mother sacrificed so that we could be in the United States, and luckily, they accomplished the American Dream.

What does the future of Taiwanese America look like to you?

I hope that we become a strong political force. I hope that we can help Taiwan achieve a democracy, and I want lots of Taiwanese Americans in prominent positions in various fields e.g. movie stars, lawyers, supreme court justices, heads of companies, heads of governments, with power and money yet doing good work too!

Any additional information you would like to share?

I love boba, shaved ice, bah genh (excuse my bastardization of the language), bah won, en chen.

Perhaps I am the first Taiwanese American to be invited to the illustrious Renaissance Weekend –where the presidents and others play football and you get to hang with Nobel laureates, etc. Why? Probably because my husband and I are the only ones crazy enough to donate at the level we have donated to the Democratic party at our age.