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Many thanks to Judy Robinson and Nataly Barragan for speaking with us today about their experiences and especially the people who are Latinx served by the Welcome Center in Juniata County.
Nataly Barragan is a Chicana advocate originally from Los Angeles, California. She relocated to Pennsylvania to support her partner in his PhD program and is currently completing her premedical coursework at Penn State. She earned her B.A. in Chicana/Chicano Studies, with a concentration in Labor, Law and Policy Studies, from UCLA and is passionate about the intersections of prevention science, social justice advocacy, and health equity. She hopes to apply to medical school in the future and provide equitable health care for undeserved communities.
Judy Robinson grew up in Dauphin County (Middle Paxton Township) and attended the University of Iowa. She has a B.A. In Spanish and worked for over 30 years with various social service agencies in Harrisburg. She spent her career as an advocate for those who live in poverty, primarily focusing on Latin communities. After retiring, she moved to Honey Grove (Juniata County) and now lives about two miles from her father's birthplace. Recognizing the lack of services in Juniata County for those who speak Spanish, she helped organize the Welcome Center to try to address these unmet needs. In addition to volunteering weekly at the Welcome Center, she also volunteers on Saturday mornings at the Juniata County Food Pantry.
