As an Atlanta native, I have always been aware of the city’s substantial homeless population. Growing up, I was surrounded by conversations that framed homelessness as the result of poor choices or a lack of motivation. I carried those assumptions with me until my involvement in Labre Ministry at my high school challenged and ultimately transformed my understanding of homelessness, mental health, and service. Serving as a co-leader of the organization placed me at the forefront of this work and allowed me to shape how our club engaged with the community. Each week, I helped organize and lead walks into downtown Atlanta, where we distributed meals and hygiene kits to individuals experiencing homelessness. While providing tangible resources was important, the most meaningful part of my service was building relationships. I encouraged members to engage in conversation, listen without judgment, and treat every individual with dignity. Through hundreds of conversations, I learned that homelessness is often the result of circumstances such as unemployment, domestic violence, untreated mental illness, and lack of access to healthcare. Listening to people share their stories taught me empathy, challenged stigma, and showed me how powerful human connection can be. My commitment to serving the unhoused has continued into college through my involvement with Streetside Health, a student organization that provides mobile showers and basic medical services to unhoused individuals in Chicago. I help facilitate monthly hygiene-kit packing and mobile shower events as the Outreach and Member Engagement Chair. Being part of Streetside Health has reinforced my belief that healthcare should not be confined to hospital walls. Many individuals I encounter have untreated illnesses or injuries simply because they lack access to care or feel unwelcome in traditional medical spaces. These experiences have shown me that healthcare begins with trust, presence, and meeting people where they are. In the future, I hope to bridge the gap between underserved communities and the healthcare they deserve. I strive to become a physician who provides compassionate, accessible care to patients who are overlooked or discouraged from seeking medical help. Additionally, I aim to work with populations such as my own Latino community who face barriers such as cost, fear, and lack of trust in medical institutions. As a future physician, I plan to continue working with mobile clinics, community-based health organizations, and free-care initiatives to ensure that healthcare is available regardless of a person’s circumstances. Through my passion for service and my commitment to medicine, I am working toward a future where healthcare is not a privilege, but a human right.

As an Atlanta native, I have always been aware of the city’s substantial homeless population. I used to hold the common belief that these individuals were homeless because of their choices or a lack of ambition in life. However, my experience as a member of the Labre Ministry club at my school has profoundly altered my perspective on homelessness and mental health awareness, and it has also shaped my sense of hope for the future. The club’s essential goal is to assemble meals and hygiene kits for distribution to the less fortunate in the downtown area. Initially, I was hesitant to interact with the people we would encounter because of the stigma associated with the homeless. Yet, over the last three years, as I have spoken with hundreds of individuals, my perception changed drastically. I have come to realize that these individuals are as deserving of compassion as anyone else. Many of them are without shelter because of unemployment, domestic violence, and mental illness. These circumstances often lead to substance abuse, which further stigmatizes them in society. Labre Ministry has shown me that they deserve understanding and assistance, a message I continue to advocate for as the club's Vice President. Meeting new faces each week and witnessing the resilience of familiar ones inspires me to keep working for the homeless community. These interactions have strengthened my belief that progress is possible and that communities built on empathy can create meaningful change. Engaging in meaningful discussions about their pasts, filled with both highs and lows, has shown me that even small actions can have a profound impact on someone's life. Along our weekly route, the relationships I have maintained with the homeless motivate me to keep providing a smile to everyone, regardless of their circumstances. Through my experience in Labre Ministry, I have gained valuable insights and developed stronger communication skills. Most importantly, it has given me hope that compassion, advocacy, and consistent human connection can lead to a future where society treats every individual with dignity and care.