Two hundred high school students sat enthused as Queen Brown stood before them, sharing the journey that had brought her from the streets of Chicago to this moment in their auditorium. Queen, an Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP) Ambassador of Hope, opened up about her journey from addiction and homelessness to recovery and purpose.

She told them about that first ISP retreat in 2015, how she’d been sober for several years but had fallen ill, lost her job, and was living in transitional housing. A self-described “city girl,” she felt uncomfortable in the rural Frankfort, Illinois setting. But when she heard another woman share her recovery story, something stirred. “It was heartwarming to hear her just so openly tell us her story,” Queen explained. “Everything just got emotional. She just gave her story away so easily. She wasn’t crying, but we were, and so I was touched.”

When Queen broke into a small group, “The overwhelmingness just came over me, and stuff started spilling out of me. Then people were crying and asked me for a hug. A lady said, ‘You just told my story.'”

Today, Queen stands as an ISP Ambassador of Hope, a leader who continues to both give and receive spiritual companionship. She shared with the students how ISP gave her “the opportunity to just be me. I don’t have to fabricate and put on a mask or facade about who I am.” As she mentioned the book she’s writing about her experiences, the Loyola Academy students witnessed mutual transformation in action. Queen came as a companion on the journey, someone still growing while helping others grow.

A Vivid Expression of Ignatian Spirituality

During Loyola Academy’s “Putting Love Into Action” symposium, held from April 29 to May 2, ISP Regional Director Claire Deshotels and Queen brought something unique to the classroom. The event was organized by Loyola Academy’s Ignatian Service Learning & Engagement team, led by Dr. Tim Martin. For students learning to be “women and men for others,” they offered lived testimony of how spiritual companionship transforms lives.

ISP’s presence in 20+ cities across the nation means stories like Queen’s multiply exponentially. Last year alone, over 5,500 individuals found hope through our retreats and reflection programs. Each testimony represents ripples of transformation touching families, communities, and now, classrooms full of future leaders.

“We are all seeking, and we all have something to say about who God is,” Claire explained to the students, emphasizing the mutuality at the heart of ISP’s mission. ISP practices spiritual companionship where everyone walks together on the journey of recovery. “We hold space for spirituality to come to life and be expressed. We all have something to learn from each other.”

The presentation brought together ISP’s unique position at the intersection of two Jesuit Universal Apostolic Preferences: showing the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment, and walking with the excluded. Through Queen’s testimony, students saw how spiritual practices become tools for real healing. The Examen became Queen’s way to find God’s presence even in her darkest moments. The practice of sharing stories in small groups became the space where walls came down and healing deepened.

Students Lean In

When Claire and Queen opened the floor for questions, the typical teenage reserve melted away. Hands shot up across the auditorium. One student asked earnestly, “In day-to-day life, what does walking with people mean to you, not just when you’re working with ISP?”

The questions revealed how deeply the students were processing this encounter. They were meeting someone who had lived through homelessness and addiction and found hope through spiritual companionship. They were discovering that their Ignatian family extends far beyond fellow students at Jesuit schools to include neighbors in recovery, people seeking shelter, and anyone walking through struggles.

“They appreciated that addiction isn’t about bad choices,” Claire reflected. “It’s often how people cope with deep pain and trauma. That’s why spiritual healing is so essential to recovery, and why ISP’s approach of walking with, not ministering to, creates authentic transformation.”

A Model for Transformative Education

After the presentation, Adriana Kelly, part of the same team focused on developing community partnerships and engagements that allow students to engage, accompany, and serve those in need, pulled Claire aside. “You reinforced everything we’re trying to teach,” she said, “but it hits different when Queen is talking about it versus when we say it in class.”

This impact demonstrates what ISP uniquely offers Jesuit and other mission-aligned schools. Students encounter individuals who embody the journey from exclusion to belonging through living witness. Abstract concepts of justice and solidarity become concrete through a vivid personal testimony. Young people discover that Ignatian spirituality lives powerfully beyond campus walls. And students engage with questions of suffering, resilience, and hope through real human connection.

Seeds of Transformation

“Every time we speak at a school, we’re planting seeds,” Claire observed. These encounters deepen what students already understand about accompaniment and solidarity. What’s powerful is seeing these values embodied in Queen’s testimony—witnessing how mutual transformation actually unfolds in real life. Students leave with their convictions strengthened and their understanding of the Ignatian family expanded to include all who seek healing and hope.

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Schools interested in bringing ISP’s powerful witness to their students can contact us at info@ispretreats.org. Learn more about our mission of spiritual companionship at ispretreats.org.