Nate (they/she) is an Art and Design student. They enjoy painting, printmaking, papermaking, tattooing, graphic design, art history, and environmental science. Nate grew up seeing her mother depend on the government’s assistance for food and medical care. With the embarrassment they felt using their mother’s EBT card for food, shopping at thrift stores for clothing, and going to health centers instead of a primary care doctor, Nate became aware that they did not have the same financial opportunities as other children their age. She felt like a burden needing and wanting things with a price tag, which led to withdrawal and masking hunger and aliments. Nate has developed a strong interest in discussing mental illness, addiction, sex work, and the stigmas surrounding these topics. Throughout the fellowship, they hope to understand better the wealth gap in Philadelphia and how it keeps Black women in poverty at any point in their lives.

Nate joined the fellowship because she believes her past and present experiences are valuable to discuss to raise awareness and prioritize harm reduction.