Growing up, I lived in many different cities around the United States. Moving around, while at times difficult, instilled in me a deeply ingrained fascination with people and the systems in which we arrange ourselves and find ourselves arranged. During my undergraduate and graduate studies, I studied Communication, taking a particular interest in interpersonal relationships, advocacy, and social studies (American culture, social work, psychology, and sociology). In undergrad, I also minored in Spanish and delved into my life-long love for and intrigue with the Spanish language and Latin American culture. I melded my studies and interests into pursuits of local community involvement endeavors and international volunteer and study-abroad experiences in South America. I’ve also applied insight gained along my path to smaller research projects inquiring about people, social systems, and the society(ies) that develop in response to our various (constructed) social, cultural, and economic differences. All this exposure has enriched my life, fed my passion for understanding humans socially, and impacted me deeply as a human. Ultimately, I hope to work (at least in part) advocating for and advancing the social and economic interests of marginalized, underserved communities and individuals troubled by poverty and related traumas. As a critical step toward actualizing my goals, I decided to pursue the Juris Doctor (JD) program at the University of Chicago Law School, and I will complete my final year as a JD candidate in 2025.