Michele Rodriguez Taylor

School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago

Striving to create an environment and community that is welcoming and engaging to everyone has been a driving force for Michele Rodriguez Taylor. In high school and college, Michele enjoyed working with older adults as an activity assistant, which developed into a master’s degree in social work and a strong voice for calling BINGO. She has over 20 years of experience working in community-based non-profit organizations primarily focused on addressing inequities in access to housing.

Michele is currently at the School of Public Health at UIC, is a Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) circle practitioner, a trained mindfulness instructor, and an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Public Policy, Management, and Analytics at UIC.

What resonates with you most about H.O.M.E.’s mission?  

I love the concept of intergenerational living. When I was in high school working at a nursing home, one of my closest friends was a woman in her 90’s. I used to come into work with purple hair and combat boots and we just somehow connected. She would tell me stories about living down south in the 20s and I would share with her what was going on in high school in the 90s. It was a relationship I’ll never forget. I’m glad to be part of an organization that creates opportunities for different generations to get to know one another and develop relationships.