Parker Lacewell
Parker Lacewell is a first year Communication and Social Justice major at Dominican University of California. Born in Chicago, Parker lived in Princeton, NJ, New Orleans, LA, and New York City before attending and graduating high school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She has traveled to South America, Europe, and extensively throughout the United States. This dynamic personal history has made Parker open-minded, adventurous, adaptable, and an enthusiastic advocate always seeking to engage and serve her community.
What inspired/motivated you to become a Social Justice Major?
I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Canal Alliance ESL my first semester. This opportunity was eye opening and extremely impactful. I worked as a teacher’s aide. My responsibilities included answering questions, practicing pronunciation, leading vocabulary games, and going over homework assignments. Through this experience I gained a better understanding of economic and racial inequality in Marin County and in America. I have developed a better understanding of how privilege operates and my own privilege. I have also gained important skills of listening to and working with others to help them tell their own stories.
If you were a policy maker what is a change or policy you would make?
If I was a policy maker I would restructure our justice system. I hear a lot of people say “our justice system is broken, we need to fix it”. However, it is not broken. The justice system is doing exactly what it was put in place to do, which is oppress black and brown bodies. Rather than fix our justice system it needs to be completely restructured. I would create more rehab facilities and drug treatment centers instead of prisons for drug offenders. So they can be offered the help they need to get clean rather than be punished for their addiction. I would also create education programs in prisons so incarcerated people have the ability to earn their degrees in prison.
How do you want to put the skills you learn at Dominican University to use after college?
I hope to use my journalism skills and write about issues that are underreported or work with a nonprofit to enact change at a local level.
What has been an important class in the major for you so far and why?
My first semester of freshman year I took Healthcare Ethics and Equity. We discussed important issues about the discrimination in our society and how it effects every aspect of our lives. After learning this I became curious and empowered to do more.
What personal experiences set you apart?
I have lived in a lot of different cities and traveled extensively. My dynamic personal history has made me adventurous, adaptable, and an enthusiastic advocate always seeking to engage and serve my community.
Describe an impactful moment from working with your community partner.
I worked with Canal Alliance ESL my first semester of college and had a wonderful experience. I got to help the students with their challenges and watch the students grow more confident. Sabina was one of the students who I consistently worked with during breakout room sessions. At the beginning of the semester she was very reserved and rarely participated unless specifically called on in class. Throughout the semester she came out of her shell and began coming to class before the other students to have discussions with the teacher and the other aides. She would also help other students with translation if they were confused and always came prepared with her homework. This growth in her confidence was a very rewarding aspect for me.