Hawi was born and raised in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. She received my Bachelor's in Medicine from Addis Ababa University and her Master of Public Health in Global Health and Epidemiology from Saint Louis University. Having worked in the ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic, she witnessed firsthand healthcare access and outcomes disparities. These experiences motivated her to focus on minority health and leverage her Global Health expertise to reduce disparities and promote equitable care in underserved communities.