By Adriana Miranda
Hi all! My name is Adriana Miranda (she/her), and this is my first year at UMKC! I am a first-generation Mexican-American transfer student from Los Angeles. There, I attended community college for four long years before transferring to UMKC as a junior psychology major. I was born and raised in East L.A, an almost entirely Latine area of L.A, and chose to come to UMKC for a new environment with new people (and some actual seasons for once)! So far I am loving Kansas City, UMKC, and all the new friends and community I’ve made.
I want to eventually get a graduate degree in social work or psychology and work with LGBTQ+ Latine youth, providing mental health care, resources, and a safe space for forming community and connections with people who understand their intersectional identity.
I was initially super interested in joining the Women’s Center because I have been involved in social activism and been advocating for gender equity since I was a pre-teen. Being a lesbian who grew up in a Mexican immigrant household, I had to navigate the struggles of identity and gender inequality within my culture, those same issues outside of my culture, and learning where I fit in in queer spaces, women’s spaces, and Latine spaces. Learning about intersectional feminism was a big part of my formative years and it shaped the friends and chosen family I have to this day. I wanted to be involved in something on campus where I could share these values and passions, and the Women’s Center seemed like it could be that for me. I can’t wait to settle in as part of the team of wonderful people here!
As far as my hobbies and interests go, I love painting, dancing, 80’s music, cheesy spanish novelas, travelling (I’ve lived in 3 countries so far!), baking, taking care of animals, and watching movies!