DR. E. LAVONIA ALLISON SOCIAL JUSTICE PIONEER AWARD

1st Place Recipient

Senior | Durham School of the Arts

GPA: 4.0 

Illori is a dedicated student with over 400 hours of community service, committed to uplifting underrepresented communities through both action and advocacy. Her volunteer efforts span local and school-based initiatives: from tutoring with the Spanish Honor Society and assisting at Bethesda Christian Academy sports events, to contributing to the Durham Rescue Mission, church-led back-to-school drives, and environmental cleanups. As a student ambassador and active member of programs like Delta Sigma Theta's Jabberwock and the Fall Art Festival, she strives to create spaces that empower others and promote equity.

Deeply passionate about psychology and neuroscience, she plans to pursue a career focused on neurodegenerative disease research. Inspired by the memory of her late uncle and the lack of diverse representation in clinical studies, she hopes to bring greater visibility to communities of color in Alzheimer's research. Through data, advocacy, and compassion, she aims to close critical gaps in care and understanding.