Champion For Change

As a professional school counselor, I work with youth and their families to ensure that their personal/social, academic and basic human needs are met. I believe establishing educational equity for all, while providing light and hope to them, is my personal and daily responsibility. I think about those who are incarcerated at a young age who may not have had a cheerleader in their corner or even a family member encouraging them to make better choices. I was fortunate to have a graduate professor at CSUN, Dr. Joey Nunez Estrada, mentor me and instill in me the passion to be a champion for change. He, with several others, earned Father G's blessings and recently started Rise Up Industries - a part of the National Homeboy Network - in San Diego. As a resident of Los Angeles, I support Rise Up from afar while continuing to seek ways to support Homeboy here.

Following my first mission trip to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in 2013, I returned wanting to look into prison ministry through my church, Lake Avenue, in Pasadena. Those who I met in Honduras were warriors for God and true supporters of their brothers and sisters immersed in the trenches of poverty and gang-life. That experience fueled in me an even deeper desire to be a part of Homeboy Industries and that is when I went to an event with my mom and we signed up for Tattoos on the Heart. I read memoirs like, It Calls You Back, by Luis J. Rodriguez, and Jumped In, by Professor Jorja Leap, and the spark was fueled even more. I have been touched by the courage and love of others and I want to give back. God put on my heart a desire to come alongside those who are disenfranchised - the lost, the hopeless, youth who need a chance. God gives us chance after chance - we should do the same for others.

I am the Team Captain of Peace, Hope & Love - a group of 13 friends/co-workers (and growing), representing South Pasadena Middle School in the Homeboy Industries "Every Angeleno Counts" 5k on October 18, 2014. We'll be the ones with the tye-dye headbands on.*:) happy
In the future, I hope to help lead Homeboy's dance classes and put my years of dance experience and yoga teaching to good use.

~Marcile Vadell-Strickland