Catie Espiricueta is incredibly dedicated and passionate about her family, her academic pursuits and a variety of issues, especially those regarding social justice. Catie is outspoken and hopes to make meaningful contributions to her community, especially through community service efforts and advocacy.

Catie is most proud of the shoe drive she coordinated at school. She discovered Ntibonera Foundation online and learned of their goal to fundraise 25,000 shoes for children in displacement camps in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. After introducing the idea to her principal, her school collected 136 pairs of shoes which were then picked up and sent to the Ntibonera Foundation. Catie says of the experience, “I was tired of feeling helpless while watching the suffering of others, so when I found out about this fundraiser, I was determined to do something about it.”

Catie hopes to inspire her younger sisters and make her parents proud. As a first-generation Mexican-American, Catie hopes to break barriers and attend university with a major in sociology and then attend law school. She hopes to use her voice as a lawyer to protect immigrants and fight for equality.