Conversations with Warriors

She/her

My name is A’mari. I’m a graduate fellow in the Community Engagement program at Merrimack College. I’m from Maryland but I’ve lived in different states and countries. I graduated from The American University of Paris where I majored in Global Communications. 

She/They

Catherine lives in Haverhill with her wife, Alexandra, and their two children.

She/her

I am an Associate professor and chair of the Languages & Cultural Studies department at Merrimack College. Born and raised in Italy, I came to the US to continue my graduate studies. After completing a Master's Degree in English and Russian (Catholic University of Milan), I obtained a second MA in Comparative Literature (Purdue University) and a PhD in Romance Studies and Comparative Literature (UNC- Chapel Hill). I have taught various Film Studies courses since my first year at Merrimack. Sci-fi, Fantasy, Gothic, and Horror are personal favorites.

She/They 

Cristina will tell people she is "from Lowell" but actually hails from Miami, FL. She joined Merrimack in the Fall of 2020 and serves as the Assistant Director for Career Advising in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, having successfully turned one of her special interests into a paying career. Before Merrimack, Cristina enjoyed a career in Human Services, supporting adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities to obtain and retain competitive employment. Cristina holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Community Social Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She drinks about 4 cups of coffee a day, and her favorite dinosaur is the Brontosaurus.

She/her 

I moved to the United States as an open-kinship intercountry-transracial adoptee in 2009. I do what I can to combat the "-ism"s (ableism, racism, homophobia) faced by those with shared identities. Some may call it a "career specialty", but I learned through adverse experiences. I currently work in a student-facing role (workforce development) at Dana-Farber. Topics: personal responsibility, student advocacy, trauma-informed care, and mental health education.

He/They

My name is Jackson Fortune-O’Brien, I am a first generation transgender student from Neptune, New Jersey. I am a senior studying Criminology and Criminal Justice with a minor in Music. On campus, I am a 3rd year resident advisor, student ambassador, the VP of the Black Student Association, on club rugby, and I play the trumpet in the marching band and a former sprinter of the Track and Field team.

He/him

I serve as the Assistant Director of Intercultural Initiatives here at Merrimack College. Originally from Brazil, I immigrated to the US as a child after being adopted. Over the last 10 years, I have worked with students and families in non-profits, religious institutions and schools, helping students grow in their understanding of self and the world around them.

She/her

I am a Latina woman, born in Para, Brazil. I am incredibly passionate about humanitarian crises, animal welfare, and environmental conservation and sustainability. I transferred to Merrimack last year as a veterinary technician student because I wanted to finish my undergrad in order to go to veterinary school, I have been a veterinary technician for 3 years now working at a GP practice and E.R. I am also a poet, whole loves to read. I also love to be in nature, outside practicing meditation and my spirituality (this is something I am working on expanding currently). My biggest dream in life is to heal (myself and this world).

He/him

The phrase "living with disability" is typically used to describe the life experiences of oneself having a disability in an ablest society. Rarely, and not often enough I argue, does the phrase extend to include the experiences of those legally responsible for, living alongside, and supporting individuals who identify as having a disability. My name is Justin Bowen, and I grew up with my younger brother Kyle who has Down's Syndrome. Growing up in New Hampshire, our family had to navigate the challenges and joys of raising, advocating for, and living with someone who has Down's Syndrome: A genetic chromosomal condition that affects an individual's development and ability to interact with the world around them. My story is about growing up and understanding the world of disability from an able perspective, as well as learning how to navigate different hardships caused by the societal lack of understanding disability and advocacy of my brother.

He/him

I am a senior from Wellesley, MA majoring in Environmental Science with a minor in Math.

She/Her

My name is Mariia and I am Ukrainian. I was born in a town on the coast of the Black Sea and moved to the capital city, Kyiv, where I graduated high school. My whole life I was dreaming about attending Shevchenko University in Kyiv and I even got accepted but decided to take a gap year and travel to the United States to improve my English. Half a year into my program, Russia started a full scale invasion of Ukraine, bombed every city and every town, occupied territories couple miles away from Kyiv and I got hit with a hard realization that I won't be able to go home.

He/Him

I'm a senior at Merrimack College studying Social Justice and minoring in Communication and Media. I am from Newton, MA. On campus, I am the Campus Infrastructure Committee Chair on Student Government, and I was an August Orientation Leader. I am passionate and enthusiastic about advocating with disabilities. I also like helping others.

She/her

I am Paige Symon from North Andover, MA. I just graduated from the College of Charleston in SC, where I received my bachelors in Psychology. I am currently a graduate fellow here at Merrimack getting my masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

He/him

I’m Spencer, I’m from Winchester Massachusetts, I graduated from St John’s Prep in Danvers, started at University of New Hampshire for fall semester of my freshman year and then transferred here to Merrimack that following spring!