Nichole Espineli is a 2022 DSIP alum and now one of the DSIP Graduate Assistants. Nichole received her B.A. in Health and Society from Beloit College, Beloit, Wisconsin as a McNair Scholar in May 2023. She is now pursuing her Masters of Science in Public Health (MSPH) in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Nichole is interested in working in a nonprofit organization and policies that aim to change the food system into a more equitable and sustainable food system for AANHPI.
As a CAPAL scholar/intern, what does CAPAL mean to you?
CAPAL means community to me, as well as opportunity to build a space where I can feel welcomed, seen, and heard.
Internship Placement: USDA-ARS (Agricultural Research Service)
What is an issue or topic within the AANHPI communities that you feel passionate about addressing?
The issue I feel passionate about, especially in the AANHPI community, is the lack of cultural food in both rural and urban areas across the U.S. I am dedicated to creating a food system that is not only equitable and accessible but also adaptable to everyone’s cultural diet.
Having access to ingredients to make the food you are connected to is immensely important—mentally, physically, and emotionally. I have experienced being in areas where I could not access the ingredients essential to my cultural diet, which significantly impacted my mental and physical health.
Going forward, I want to ensure that people in the AANHPI community have access to culturally important food at an affordable price and within an appropriate distance.
What are your main responsibilities at your position? What are some of your big projects?
My main responsibilities is going through transcripts and finding themes from the interviews that were done months ago.
How does this internship fit with your professional and career goals?
This internship has open my eyes in public service and government work. In my future, I see helping people at a large scale and beiing in this internship is the right stepping stone for me to get there.
What does public service mean to you? What sparked your interest or desire to get involved with public service?Â
Public service means helping people who face challenges and barriers due to systemic laws rooted in inequality and racism. It’s about being a helping hand and someone’s voice, as well as holding government institutions accountable when it comes to serving the people.