Hello, and welcome! My name is Juan Barriga, and I'm a senior at Loyola University Chicago majoring in Psychology and minoring in Women's Studies & Gender Studies. I chose to write about my experiences at Misericordia, Heart of Mercy and at the McNair Scholars Program because I learned many things. As a whole, the opportunities offered by Loyola taught me more about diversity, leadership, and most importantly, social justice. Because of Loyola, I learned to act for the rights of others through empathy, solidarity, and engagement. I hope to practice the skills I gained, have the same values I developed, and use my knowledge to help serve others as I one day plan to become a mental health practitioner. I hope you enjoy reading about my experiences as much as I enjoyed putting this together to share them!

"In our work and in our living, we must recognize that difference is a reason for celebration and growth, rather than a reason for destruction." - Audre Lorde