Latin School of Chicago

When Nicolas Mendia '12 first took "When I came to Latin, I wanted to try everything, and I had an amazing experience." 48 classes at Latin School in seventh grade as part of the High Jump program, he couldn't have imagined how the school would alter his path in life. Always an active and involved student at his small school on Chicago's West Side, Mendia enthusiastically embraced all that Latin had to offer when he came here for high school. He participated in the Latin in Rome and Latin in Rwanda programs and traveled to the United Kingdom and Cambodia for Project Weeks. He joined the slam poetry team, worked on the yearbook and took classes in everything that sparked his curiosity from statistics to biology, art and English. But most importantly, his peers and teachers at Latin provided the kind of support that allowed Mendia to become comfortable and confident about who he is. "I would say that I came out because of what I was experiencing at Latin," said Mendia. "It was the people at Latin who helped me to accept that part of myself. My friends made it clear that they would be there for me no matter what, and then there was this amazing network of teachers who supported me and were wonderful mentors and role models." Coming from a tight-knit Latino community in the Little Village neighborhood, Mendia said, the level of tolerance for differences at Latin was inspiring. He joined the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and during junior year and was among the members who changed the club's name to the CAUSE (Creating an Understanding and Safe Environment) with the goal of L AT I N M AGAZINE increasing dialogue about LGBT (lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender) issues on campus. He also participated in the NoH8 campaign and attended GSA summits at local high schools. In his free time, Mendia was active at the Center on Halsted, the largest LGBT community center in the Midwest. Since starting at Middlebury College in Vermont last fall, Mendia has revved up his advocacy work. He is an active member of Middlebury's Open Queer Alliance. Through ongoing research on HIV and AIDS and how it has impacted the LGBT community, as well as his Latin in Rwanda experience, Mendia has become interested in the medical needs of underserved populations. He recently completed training for an Emergency Medical Technician license and plans to start volunteering at the Open Door Clinic, a free medical clinic near Middlebury. He also will be working with the Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance Association over the summer. Despite a seemingly full plate, Mendia's involvement in LGBT issues and advocacy are only a small part of his life at college. He joined the crew team, works in the admissions office, will be attending MiddCore, Middlebury's leadership immersion program in Lake Tahoe over the summer, and looks forward to studying abroad, all while continuing to be an exceptional student. "When I came to Latin, I wanted to try everything, and I had an amazing experience," said Mendia. "I feel the same way about Middlebury. This is my opportunity to learn things about myself and the world that I never thought I would." n

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