Antioch College Class of 1994
Studied Anthropology
Preferred Pronouns are She/Her
Bio- Tell us about your self
Who am I now? LOL! As if I know! I grew up in Texas and Alabama, and attended Antioch College, thinking that no grades meant a surefire path to graduation. I had NO idea how my world views would be challenged and my lessons there would carry me on to the person I am now. Currently I am a wife, a mother, and a 25 year resident of Miami Beach. In addition to those time constraints, I have a challenging job and we are living in complicated times. I am constantly trying to model to those around me the importance of social action and moral integrity.
How did Antioch College’s Co-op program prepare you for work life?
My first co-op was in teaching. I totally bombed. I worked at a homeless shelter in Rhode Island, and went to help refugees from El Salvador in LA, through immigration assistance and worked with people suffering from severe mental illness. I also started the first Wellness Center Co-op on campus. (Woot Woot! So happy to see how it has grown!) One of the internships hired me when I graduated, which led me to Miami. My co-ops prepared me to work with lots of different types of people under a myriad of circumstances. The one constant was that I was helping people cope with their emotions under stress and under certain life situations.
How did your Antioch experience prepare you for life?
My entire word view changed there! Mind you, it was far from easy for me! First, I had no idea what people were saying and needed a dictionary for all those three syllable words people rolled out of their mouths. (Alabama problems) My version of feminism when I entered was that women could have jobs. (True story, my grandmother would repeatedly ask if I was working on my MRS when I was at Antioch,) To escape math, I joined EFP [Environmental Field Program]. (Still had to take statistics, so… plan fail) Learning to live in close quarters with others, to respect their ideas, and enjoy the view is an invaluable lesson. Antioch honed my critical thinking skills, taught me to be unafraid to create uncomfortable dialogue, and made me able to listen with an open mind.
What does our charge to “win a victory for humanity” mean to you?
‘Win a Victory for Humanity’ means, for me personally, to do something worthwhile that will be passed down to the present and future. I feel that every progressive lesson I am teaching my son is a victory. Every person I see in my office, I hope I impact in a positive way. In my community and amongst friends, I pray that they feel positive and inspired to do right to others and our world. Everyday I try to consider what my victory was, no matter how big or how small.
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