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From La Casa to your casa: A Chicago Latina activist on the rise
by Claudia Martinez
Free-spirited, activist, and passionate are just some words that describe Debbie Patiño. Her strong interest in the human and social experience led her to pursue a double major in Sociology and Applied Psychology. Currently, Debbie is a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and a member of the Fearless Undocumented Alliance at UIC fighting for undocumented rights. “Although I am not undocumented,” she says,“these issues also affect me because they impact friends that are really close to me.”
Debbie was raised in Carpentersville, a small northwest suburb with a primarily immigrant population. Living there, she saw many injustices and anti-immigrant laws against Latinos. “These policies were a rejection of my culture and made me feel like being Mexican and speaking Spanish was wrong,” she says.The experience pushed her to keep up with her community activism work, which she believes is the best way to fix pressing social issues. Some of the work she has done includes doing research on the history of Hispanics in Elgin, IL.
In Pilsen, she did research on community needs, including housing and food. She recently had an internship with Mujeres Latinas en Acción where she created a sex education curriculum for children ages 6-12 years old. Debbie also started interning for the Illinois Coalition of Public Policy, where she helps collect data on congressmen and issues they have voted on.
In Pilsen, she did research on community needs, including housing and food. She recently had an internship with Mujeres Latinas en Acción where she created a sex education curriculum for children ages 6-12 years old. Debbie also started interning for the Illinois Coalition of Public Policy, where she helps collect data on congressmen and issues they have voted on.
She is also working on her honors capstone project at UIC, where she will focus on two Chicago families as case studies for how families have been affected by the increase in deportations during the Obama administration. Debbie decided to get a more global experience by studying abroad in Indonesia. “This experience changed my life completely,” she says. “It strengthened my convictions on who I am and my passions.”
This semester, Debbie moved to La Casa Student Housing and thinks it’s a great environment and recognizes La Casa’s commitment to its students. “People at La Casa are kind and willing to get to know you,” she says. “All the people in charge show support and are genuinely dedicated to the students and how they are doing.”
La Casa’s active community is also something that has helped Debbie. “Being in a neighborhood like Pilsen is also great because it’s an activist community,” she says.“I’ve had a great experience so far at La Casa and encourage everyone to apply.”
This semester, Debbie moved to La Casa Student Housing and thinks it’s a great environment and recognizes La Casa’s commitment to its students. “People at La Casa are kind and willing to get to know you,” she says. “All the people in charge show support and are genuinely dedicated to the students and how they are doing.”
La Casa’s active community is also something that has helped Debbie. “Being in a neighborhood like Pilsen is also great because it’s an activist community,” she says.“I’ve had a great experience so far at La Casa and encourage everyone to apply.”
This year, Debbie will graduate from UIC. In 10 years, she sees herself in a position of power to make social change and be a leader in various communities.“I want to work with immigration reform because it’s something really important to me,” she says.
In the meantime, she continues to pursue her education. She recently applied for the Fulbright Program and successfully became a finalist. If she gets it, she will have the opportunity to do research in Chiapas, Mexico. She encourages other students to follow their passion and dreams. “Follow what you love,” she says. “Use your intuition, and be selfish in the right ways.”
For more information on La Casa Student Housing, visit www.lacasastudenthousing.org.
In the meantime, she continues to pursue her education. She recently applied for the Fulbright Program and successfully became a finalist. If she gets it, she will have the opportunity to do research in Chiapas, Mexico. She encourages other students to follow their passion and dreams. “Follow what you love,” she says. “Use your intuition, and be selfish in the right ways.”
For more information on La Casa Student Housing, visit www.lacasastudenthousing.org.
Claudia Martinez is a La Casa student who is interning with TRP. From La Casa toYour Casa is her inside glimpse of life at La Casa Student Housing.
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