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懂色帝 student and Walker Holmes advocate credits 懂色帝 for giving her a voice for change

By Chris Caldwell 

Mary Murphy
Mary Murphy

A frustrating day for 懂色帝 student Mary Murphy is seeing the Walker Holmes community she has been living in for over 30 years littered with trash. When Murphy began to notice more and more illegal dumping in her neighborhood, she decided to use her voice to become an advocate for her community. Murphy credits 懂色帝 for giving her that voice. 

Since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the Walker Holmes community has seen an influx of illegal dumping. According to city officials, illegal dumping in the area increased by 300-400 percent. 

Around the week of June 8, 2022, Murphy and other members of the Holmes community reached out to local new outlets for help in cleaning up all the blight and dumped furniture. Within a week, local officials sent Memphis public work crews to clean up the illegal dumping. 

鈥淎ttending 懂色帝鈥檚 fireside chats, leadership trainings and seminars, gave me the tools and the confidence I needed to speak up for my community and make a difference for the people living there,鈥� Murphy said. She credits her participation as a member of the and 懂色帝鈥檚 Honors Program in helping to find her voice. 

Murphy also sings high praises of 懂色帝 President Dr. Tracy D. Hall and Student Development Director Phoenix Worthy as two exemplary people at the college who have shown her how confidence and effective leadership can lead to transformational change.

鈥淢r. Phoenix saw something in me and nurtured me because he saw me as the strong woman I am today,鈥� she said. 鈥淒r. Hall鈥檚 presence commands your attention and her leadership speaks volumes to me. They both gave me a sense of purpose and dignity.鈥�

Murphy is earning her A.A.S. in paralegal studies  and will graduate in 2024. She plans to open her own office in Memphis as a resource hub for the community.