This October, two events at UCLA invite Los Angeles to turn an interest in skin health into meaningful participation. One begins with a conversation about biases and knowledge gaps in skin of color. The other brings the community together for a walk against melanoma. Together, they offer opportunities to learn, ask better questions, and show support for a future where skin health receives the attention it deserves.
October 8: A Conversation About Biases and Knowledge Gaps in Skin of Color
What happens when the perspectives needed to understand a patient’s experience are missing from the conversation? That question makes education about skin of color relevant far beyond the classroom.
HUES, Highlighting, Uniting, & Educating Skin of Color, is presenting “Biases & Knowledge Gaps in Skin of Color” as part of its Skin of Color Lecture Series. The lecture will be hosted and led by Dr. Larissa N. Larsen, MD, a board-certified dermatologist with UCLA Health.
For students, aspiring healthcare professionals, and people interested in equitable care, the topic offers a starting point for reflection: Whose experiences shape our learning? What assumptions do we bring into healthcare conversations? How can education become more inclusive and responsive to the communities it serves?
Attendees might bring questions about improving skin-of-color education in Los Angeles, building community partnerships, or finding ways to participate in related projects. A lecture can be the beginning of a much larger conversation about how learning translates into action.
Event details
• Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
• Time: 6–7 p.m. Pacific time
• Location: UCLA Geffen Hall, GH 113, with a Zoom conference option
• RSVP: Required
October 18: Take Steps Against Melanoma
Ten days later, the focus moves from the lecture room to UCLA’s Wilson Plaza for the 7th Annual Steps Against Melanoma Walk on Sunday, October 18, 2026.
The AIM at Melanoma Foundation’s walk series brings people together to support melanoma research, education, and patient support. Its Los Angeles event offers a chance to make that commitment visible; one step and one conversation at a time.
A community walk can hold different meanings for different people. It may be a way to honor someone, support a loved one, connect with others, or learn more about a cause. For students and future healthcare professionals, it is also an opportunity to engage with the people and communities behind 1the topics studied in class.
Event details
• Date: Sunday, October 18, 2026
• Location: UCLA Wilson Plaza, Los Angeles
• Organization: AIM at Melanoma Foundation
•Registration and schedule: Visit AIM at Melanoma for current event information.
To volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0445AFA728A7F8C34-64440611-losangeles#/
Put Skin Health on Your October Calendar
Learning and community participation strengthen each other. The October 8 lecture invites thoughtful questions about inclusive care, while the October 18 walk offers a shared space for awareness and support.
Bring your curiosity to the conversation—and your walking shoes to Wilson Plaza.
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