Yareli Sosa Antunez

Yareli Sosa Antunez (she/her) is a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on stigma, substance use, and health disparities among marginalized communities, particularly Latinx and LGBTQ+ populations. She examines how stigma and minority stress shape mental health and substance use outcomes, while also identifying protective factors such as critical consciousness, cultural identity, and community resilience. Guided by an intersectional and social justice framework, her work seeks to address systemic inequities and barriers to care while highlighting pathways of resistance and healing. She has previously collaborated on projects focusing on HIV prevention and mental health promotion among Latino sexual minority men in South Florida, culturally responsive health communication, and substance use stigma reduction at the University of Miami as a Research Associate. She aims to center the lived experiences of Latinx LGBTQ+ communities to inform equitable intervention and prevention efforts.