PERSPECTIVES

Jenifer Solano Becerra

JUNIOR NEUROSCOENCE AND BEHAVIOR MAJOR

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The Institute for Social Concerns is a home for justice research and education for scholars at any stage of their academic career, from undergraduate students to seasoned professors.

Jenifer Solano Becerra is a junior at Notre Dame, majoring in neuroscience and behavior with a minor in chemistry. Amandhi Mathews is a Ph.D. candidate in the Cody Smith Laboratory, studying neurodevelopment. Suzanne Mulligan joined the Institute last fall as professor of the practice and co-director of the Catholic social tradition minor. Jay Brandenberger ‘78 will retire this December after 36 years as professor of the practice and, most recently, director for assessment and engaged scholarship and director of academic community engagement at the Institute. Each reflects on how the Institute has played a crucial role in their scholarship and pursuit of justice and the common good.

To me, the work of the Institute for Social Concerns is about bringing justice to life—through research, relationship-building, and compassionate action.

As a student from Mexico who grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, I’ve spent my life navigating systems that were never built for families like mine. I’ve felt the weight of invisibility, fear, and limitation—and because of this, I understand deeply what it means to long for justice and to believe in the power of the common good.

Justice, for me, is not abstract. It’s being able to go to a doctor without fear. It’s seeing your parents treated with dignity when they seek help. It’s knowing that you won’t go to bed hungry because of a system that overlooks you. The common good means designing a world where every voice matters—especially those who have been silenced.

At Notre Dame, I have tried to live out these values through my work, and the Institute for Social Concerns has been a guiding light in that journey. In summer 2024, I interned at ARCH (Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope) through the NDBridge program in Columbus, Ohio. I worked alongside people who had just been released from prison—people trying to rebuild their lives from scratch. These were some of the most humble, hopeful, and resilient people I have ever met. I listened as they shared their stories—of loss, survival, and strength—and I saw firsthand how our legal system continues to punish even after time has been served. That experience broke me open in the best way and strengthened my resolve to work toward justice with tenderness and truth.

Back at Notre Dame, I’ve worked in the Mass Incarceration Research Lab, contributing to the pretrial care and criminalization team. Our work aimed to show the story behind the numbers—to expose how incarceration is funded and prioritized over care. It was meticulous work, but it felt like resistance in spreadsheet form.

In fall 2024, my research on food insecurity among incarcerated individuals earned me the Common Good Research Award. I learned how access to food is not just about hunger—it’s about mental and physical health, dignity, and survival. With the $5,000 award, I’ve launched a multilingual, trauma-informed summer project in my hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. I’m interviewing social workers, creating outreach materials tailored to different neighborhoods, and teaching immigrant children—allowing me to see the world through the eyes of both caregivers and those they care for. Every day, I’m reminded why this work matters.

The Institute has transformed how I understand justice—not just as something to advocate for but as something to live out, daily and deliberately. Because the common good isn’t truly good unless we’re all a part of it.

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