“As someone who has been afforded incredible privilege and opportunity, I would love to give back to the community,” Washingon-Cole told The Root while discussing her education. “You look at current events and wonder what is it I can be doing to make the world a better place, especially in communities like Gary, where I came from. There are people who have experienced tremendous challenges and trauma, and I want to help.”
That is why she feels such a strong kinship with today’s aspirational and powerful #BlackLivesMatter movement, which was sparked by protests against police violence in the black community.
“When I graduated [from Notre Dame], some people were asking why the media didn’t tell my story,” she said. “Why aren’t people like me being put forth? I think that affects the community when positive examples aren’t being highlighted. It suggests that perhaps black lives don’t matter in a way. But the fact of the matter is that black America has a spectrum of diversity. And I have one version of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ story, and I want to be part of the solution to the problem.” - The RootFaith and Service Motivate Notre Dame's 2010 Valedictorian
