Timing. COVID-19. George Floyd. 2020, what a year. Change came in unexpected ways. While I had volunteered for years in non-profit organizations and enrolled in a public relations certificate program, I was not working as a professional in this field. I got back into school just as things were shutting down for COVID and pivoting to online classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I was considering my degree focus that summer semester, I became aware of my and other’s exposure to the racial inequities that persist. My coursework started to include criminal justice classes as I developed my program. Seeing the lack of diversity in the criminal justice system, because representation matters, I wanted to understand the system and maybe make it easier for others to navigate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We need representation, but we also need to witness. The whole world did that for George Floyd, but I found something else to witness, if after the fact. Through research in one of my other classes, I had the facts of the Japanese Internment camps put directly in my path. It led me to take a trip to two of the camps and witness us at our worst at another time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, here I am. A former Milwaukeean with a drive to help us be better for all. That degree grew into a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Public Relations and Law. It is a capstone for years of work and volunteer experience in management, event running, public relations, and strategic planning. It is the start of a new path.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"