Indira Gutierrez is a TRIO student studying psychology with minors in biology and cognitive sciences, all of which tie into her passions for change in financial insecurity. Not only has she experienced both food and housing insecurity herself, but she is also she’s using her time at NC State to actively fight hard against the stigmas surrounding it. Under the direction of Dr. Mary Haskett, Indira has conducted research and collaborated on the Food and Housing Insecurity Initiative Among NC State Students. She has made strides towards positive changes on campus like keeping residence halls open during breaks and promoting visibility and accessibility to resources on campus like Pack Essentials.
On this episode of Beyond the Bell Tower, Indira implores listeners to realize that food and housing insecurity can look like many things, come in different forms and that you don’t have to be considered “low-income” to experience either one. NC State is a campus with a variety of resources for you to use. She hopes that in telling her story, she will convince others that there is no shame in using them.
For more information on these resources, important changes at NC State and how you can get involved, make sure to join the NCSU Basic Students Needs Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/347086259247513/. This episode was recorded Spring 2019.
