" I'M A MUT "
My name is Kayla Aviva Lebo and I am one of the few San Franciscans who were not only born but also raised in SF. Im half persian, a quarter romanian and a quarter german.
mY MUM WAS BORN AND RAISED IN IRAN, BUT was forced to FLEe AS A REFUGEE DURING THE REVOLUTION DUE TO her jewish heritage and RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION. aFTER LIVING IN EUROPE FOR A FEW YEARS, SHE MOVED TO america - specifically sf, ca, where she met my dad and fell in love.
My DAD's family comes from gERMANY AND rOMANIA, BUT AS WORLD WAR II arose, despite shortening their last name to sound less jewish, worried about their safetly, his family quickly fled to the us, specifically new york. shortly after my dad was born (in the bronx), but on his 8th birthday him and his family moved to san francisco - where he met my mum and has continued to live ever since.
gROWING UP I WENT TO PERHAPS THE SMALLEST K-12 SCHOOL IN ALL OF SF, tHE hEBREW academy. MY CLASS WAS A WHOPPING 23 STUDENTS - AND WE WERE THE BIGGEST CLASS IN THE SCHOOL! i absolutely loved the family atmosphere and feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to freely learn about my jewish heritage while gaining a superb secular education. After graduating high-school I attended sfsu and received a bachelor of sciences in physiology, a bachelor of arts in broadcasting & communication arts and a minor in chemistry. following undergrad, i gained acceptance to ucsf as a doctor of dental surgery candidate AND WILL RECEIVE MY DOCTORATE IN 2018 - AND THEN MOST LIKELY PURSUE A SPECIALIZATION IN ENDODONTICS.
NO MATTER WHERE THIS JOURNEY OF LIFE TAKES ME - I WILL NEVER FORGET THE STRUGGLE MY FAMILY WENT THROUGH TO GET ME TO WHERE I AM TODAY. Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.