Shackled | Melfry Gonzalez Andujar

“This piece was inspired by my experience during a correctional medicine project, where I visited a local detention center. While there, I encountered the reality of pregnant women in custody and was struck by stories of women being cuffed to hospital beds during labor. The work explores the tension between care and control, highlighting the loss of autonomy at one of the most vulnerable moments in a person’s life.”

Melfry Gonzalez Andujar is a medical student at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville who is passionate about blending medicine, storytelling and advocacy. Her work centers on improving the quality of care for vulnerable communities, including individuals impacted by incarceration. Through both clinical training and creative projects, Gonzalez strives to highlight the humanity behind every patient story.