Alexis Jacquet will graduate from Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) in spring 2022 with an Associate in Science degree in Digital Marketing. She plans to transfer to New York University’s Gallatin School or The New School to pursue an individualized major with concentrations in Marketing and Art History.

Jaquet hopes to bring a social justice focus to digital marketing. “By incorporating a social justice focus, digital marketing has the potential to influence company’s incentive to go beyond profits and focus on improving the quality of life for all individuals regardless of age, gender, race, or nationality,” she said. Social media is one of the most influential forms of communication between brands and their audience, and Jacquet believes that it can be used to better the lives of individuals through the encouragement of sustainable business practices and values.

“I recognize the value in this program serving my personal education in two distinct ways. Firstly, I may sample social media marketing tactics for an organization that has commendable values and serves a greater purpose of education through experience. Secondly, I may further understand the systematic inequality between racial groups that has been built into society. I hope to accomplish assisting Writing Wrongs in their mission to spread awareness of injustices due to racism in the United States.”

At BMCC, Jacquet is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She also participates in two clubs — the Economics, Equality, and Environment Club and the Music, Fashion, and Art Club. Members of the latter review the works and lives of famous figures from popular culture and various art movements. As a child, Jacquet visited a Dallas art museum where she observed the works of Pablo Picasso and other surrealists and was hooked on modern art history ever since.

Jacquet described a growing awareness of discriminatory practices in the professional world. This realization and the wrongful murder of George Floyd spurred her to be more active in protests. She supports organizations that are working to defund the police as well as environmental action groups that address climate change. Jacquet has taken numerous courses that examine the definition of race and has explored how ideologies centered around race have negatively impacted the lives of Black women.

She recalls an incident of passive racism that occurred while she was out with a friend. A man they did not know was touching and mocking her friend’s hair, and Jacquet called him out, forcing him to apologize.

“I did not find this difficult because I have had previous experience with this behavior,” she said. “I find it rude and obnoxious for black women and their hair to be continuously fetishized by white and white-passing persons.”

Jacquet’s personal wish would be to make a clone of herself. She has many interests and passions that she wants to explore, but never has enough time. A clone would allow her to participate in many more activities.

Her wish for the world would be to end the control NGO’s have over education systems in low-income countries. Jacquet’s view is that NGOs make education too expensive for average citizens, who therefore cannot escape poverty because they lack the educational tools.

Taking three months to backpack through Europe has been the top item on her bucket list for some time.