Resident Spotlight: Daijah Pierce

For as long as she could remember, Daijah Pierce was interested in the health care field. But she never expected to get a first-hand view of the profession – until, she was diagnosed with Lupus shortly after starting high school. Lupus, an inflammatory disease caused by the immune system attacking its own tissues, took an excruciating toll. Today, she battles the condition daily. But it has done nothing to dampen her spirit or ambition, as the CHA resident went on to graduate from the Biomedical Engineering Program at Kenwood Academy and is now a sophomore Neuroscience major studying Behavioral Psychology at University of Illinois-Chicago.

“Being a Black woman growing up in Chicago with my diagnosis has given me a first-hand experience of some of the barriers that exist. My goal is to be there for people who look like me so that I can advocate for them and improve their health,” she said. Pierce is a CHA Scholarship recipient and has attended support programs for college students, including January’s Take Flight: Networking and Recruitment event.