My name is Melissa Sanchez and I’m a second year at the University of Chicago. I am currently double majoring in Political Science and Economics. I aspire to have a career in the business field working in a consulting or marketing firm. My hobbies are: playing soccer, practicing my creative writing, and hiking.

What interests me the most about the Henry Williams Love Foundation is having the opportunity to be working with the staff and learning how they successfully help those in need through their organization. I am intrigued by their mission to serve others by providing emergency support services, supporting women in creating their own business, and increasing access to arts in the communities.

I strongly believe that regardless of what route you take in your life, you should serve and advocate for your community in some way. No one should have to struggle alone. I know it can be hard to succeed in a world when you’re faced with adversity and don’t have the guidance of where to go for help. I vowed myself that to whichever path I take for my career, I will make a positive impact and help individuals who are struggling.

Unfortunately, our current world is suffering a pandemic where millions of lives have been impacted negatively. For the past few months, I have been attentive to the news hoping to see the rates of deaths due to COVID-19 diminish and for the headline “A vaccine has been created” to appear. I know that as a young adult, I am considered low risk, but I still fear catching it because of the possibility of infecting others.

When I learned about the horrible murder of George Floyd, I cried in anger and couldn’t believe this horrible injustice occurred. Shortly after, I watched different videos on social media that revealed the discriminatory harassment that black people have been enduring. My frustrations grew even more. I took my frustrations to the protests and used my voice to fight for justice. I was happy to see the growth of the protests and the Black Lives Matter movement making positive impacts. Seeing the power of people in the communities around the world fighting for equity gave me hope that justice can be served.

One goal I have for my internship is to learn how I can contribute to the Henry Williams Love Foundation through my work. I hope to assist in the efforts of helping a family or individual in need. I plan to achieve this by engaging effectively with the staff and the work I’m assigned, while developing new skills to ensure that I am providing quality work and service during my internship.