Apr 18, 2014 11:55 pm
Since she was nine years old, Dr. Sheley Secrest knew she wanted to be a civil rights lawyer. She never lost sight of her dreams, but had little knowledge of what it would take to make her goal a reality. As a first-generation college student, it wasn’t until she enrolled at Pierce College that she was able to connect with instructors who were able to help set her on a course that would determine the direction of her life.
“My time at Pierce was instrumental for me,” she said. “I was a 19-year-old with nothing more than a dream, but they were able to map out exactly what I needed to do to make my dream a reality.” Instructors at Pierce played a key role in helping Secrest transfer to her dream school, the highly competitive Spelman College in Atlanta. As America’s oldest historically black college for women, it was not easy to gain admission into this prestigious school. With the help of her supporters at Pierce, Secrest became one of 35 students accepted that year from around the country. “The staff and faculty went above and beyond to help me achieve my goals,” she said. “They made sure I had the support I needed to fulfill my dreams.”
After finishing her bachelor’s degree, she attended law school at Seattle University and has since developed a strong reputation and track record as a community organizer, civil rights attorney, activist and more. At the age of 31, Secrest was named president of the Seattle/King County branch of the NAACP, and received the organization’s National President’s Award in recognition of her efforts. “Being recognized by such an established organization was a wonderful experience,” she said.
Today, as staff attorney and policy associate for Alliance for a Just Society, she has tackled a number of issues from police misconduct and disparities in government contracting to restoring the right to vote for felons released from prison.
Secrest is now throwing her hat into the political arena by running for a seat in the Washington state senate, and currently spends much of her time on the campaign trail connecting with voters and learning about their needs and concerns.
Through her work with the Alliance for a Just Society, she has also been active in the fight to raise the minimum wage in Seatac and Seattle.
“We’re fighting for those who have been left behind, who are working hard but still scrambling to get by and pay their bills,” she said. “We’re always looking for solutions for them, and solutions for people like myself who want an education but may not have the resources to pay for college. Community colleges like Pierce are doing a wonderful job of keeping tuition affordable and giving more people access to a quality education.”
Being recognized for her personal and professional achievements by Pierce College holds special meaning to Secrest, who attended Distinguished Alumni events when she was in school herself. “I would go to these dinners thinking that one day this will be me,” she said. “The fact that it actually happened 20 years later really shows that if you stay focused, good things will come to you.”