#PolicyProfile: “What started out as an extracurricular activity during my undergraduate studies at whittiercollege uncovered my passion for international issues and economics. I taught citizenship classes at an adult school as part of my international relations class. I was helping prepare them for the naturalization process. I enjoyed it so much that I stuck with it after the class ended, and I took on a leadership role. I liked working with the adults because they valued life experiences, and I often find that I can relate to people who have struggled. It was powerful to see them be vulnerable and to treat me, someone significantly younger, as an equal. The economics of it also interested me, and not because I like numbers. Through my research and travel, I’ve learned that a lot of issues — lack of quality schools, health care, and access to playgrounds and learning spaces — all start with the economy. Initially, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. But once I started working at the c...