Loretto Justice Fellow Spring Reflection

By Elizabeth O’Hara, 2025-’26 Loretto Justice Fellow

My brother and I took time to catch up the other day. Like any siblings, we lead very different lives despite living under the same roof. He brought up a dinner he attended the other night. It wasn’t a tense dinner, but one where comments made didn’t sit right with him and he didn’t know why. While listening to him, it occurred to me that even though I wasn’t present at this dinner I understood what was going on. 

Through serving at my placement site, I’ve learned to read between the lines on a more nuanced level. I had the opportunity to meet people from different paths of life. I listened to their stories and didn’t realize the impact that had. One of my duties at our community center — Alamito — was to capture moments. Here are a few I’d like to share:

The picture above was taken in the hall. It’s a versatile space used for gatherings of all sorts. This was the day of our opening. We had a full house that day. Every space in the building was activated. Something was going on everywhere at all times showcasing a slice of what we’d been up to the last few months. The center was scattered with invitations to partake in masa science with local bakers, garden tours, science explorations, engineering activities and so much more.

We often hear that the space is meaningful for those who enter its gates. For a variety of reasons that is — in my mind the most prominent being the relationships built through a sense of community. A sense of collective care that values togetherness over individuality where the only thing that matters is being present for each other. 

The painting displayed here is a work of art in its beginning stages painted by a local artist. The text on the bottom reads “De Aqui y De Alla” creates a sense of belonging especially in the context of the Mexican-American border, where questions of identity and belonging become complex very quickly. De Aqui y De Alla means “From Here and There.” The painting (now finished) is kept in our scrap lab. The Scrap Lab is a space where materials that at first glance serve no purpose are gathered and organized. Whenever we encounter a challenge or task, we resort to problem solving using the materials in the scrap lab instead of purchasing something new. This contributed to the element of circularity in the space where nothing goes to waste – a sustainability effort. 

I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of the space. I met so many amazing people and learned so much. Thank you for taking the time to read about it!