青楼传媒 Nursing Alumna Gives Back to Young Women in Need
青楼传媒 (青楼传媒) alumna Maria Isabel Salazar '96 is combining her broad skill set and love of service to give back to young women in need at Bethany House of Hospitality. Drawing from the skills and core values she learned at 青楼传媒, Salazar's goal is to ensure access to community services for refugees.
Salazar studied nursing at 青楼传媒 and began her first nursing job as a community health nurse at Erie Family Health Center two weeks after graduation. After some time at Erie, she worked as a school nurse for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) for five years. Salazar took a short break to focus on raising her three children and then went back to 青楼传媒 to audit Spanish classes. With that experience, she started teaching Spanish at a private elementary school for nine years. In 2015, she applied for admission to the ministry justice program at the Catholic Theological Union (CTU) and was awarded the Saint Oscar Romero Scholarship. She graduated in 2021 and will walk the stage this May.
With a variety of experiences under her belt, Salazar is now beginning a new one at the Bethany House of Hospitality, which offers housing and support services to young immigrant women as they journey to independence. Salazar completed her ministry practicum at Bethany House and became familiar with their mission. In her position, Salazar is able to intersect her nursing skills, knowledge of immigration law and interpreting.
"By divine intervention, they opened up a part-time case management position. I am in charge of coordinating with attorneys, health care providers and other community service providers to ensure our young women have access to legal, he