Getting to know Gabriella: Health Educator, Bug Lover

Chicago is a city of contradictions; some say it is a big city with a small town vibe, with a river that flows backwards, as well as a booming metropolitan buzzing with lucrative industry less than five miles away from areas that are deprived of grocery stores. It is a city that faces complex problems that are entrenched in its history. I was born and raised within arms reach of the city, which has taught me a lot, especially about recognizing and embracing diversity, but I know I still have a lot to learn about what it means to be from Chicago in all the ways I have not experienced from my suburban bubble. My desire to understand is something that fueled my decision to serve with the National Health Corps/Americorps in Chicago.

In 2019 I graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a degree in Environmental Science focusing on food systems and sustainable agriculture. My education has contributed to my cultivation of a deeply enriching relationship with the natural world, and I consider it a mission of mine to inspire this in others, both in my professional and personal life. This relates to my service duties as a health educator at Advocate Trinity Hospital in how it will foster and embolden my ability to understand the failures of our food system and the community level management of the repercussions. Overall, I love people, and I love being alive, and I hope to be able to assist in helping others live a life less prone to pain in any way I can. My future aspirations are somewhat shapeless at the moment, but I hope to continue working closely with the natural world and the health of all its inhabitants, bugs, plants, and people alike, in my endeavors post NHC. I look forward to learning about and implementing Chicago’s health initiatives alongside such a powerful, inspiring corps!