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Whitney Barkley
Angelyn Irvin
by Katie Bonds
July 28, 2010
Growing up, Whitney Barkley never dreamed she would be a lawyer.
I was going to be an actress and be incredibly famous, and win an Oscar," she says with a laugh.
During her first two years at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, Barkley made up her mind that she would become an actress, majoring in theater and voice. Her life changed direction, however, after she started protesting the war in Iraq.
"That was kind of the beginning of my political awakening," Barkley says.
She switched her major to political science and communication, and started working on local political campaigns in South Carolina. After both candidates won, Barkley felt a huge sense of accomplishment. She got the same high working in politics as she did when she was on stage.
"Politics is theater, you know," she says.
Barkley, 25, decided to go on to law school at the University of Michigan. She wanted to learn more about the legal system, and she saw a law degree as way of making change. After graduating from law school in 2009, Barkley soon moved to Jackson to work for the Mississippi Center for Justice. At the MCJ, Barkley works on foreclosure-prevention efforts throughout the state, funded by Equal Justice Works and AmeriCorps grants. She says that common stereotypes about those who end up in foreclosure do not hold true in our state: "I think people get this idea, when they talk about foreclosure, of people who irresponsibly have taken out way too much money, ... and that's really not what you see in Mississippi. ... These people have gotten battered by life's circumstances and can no longer afford to make the payments on their house."
While Barkley is dedicated to her work, she never left theater behind. Since moving to Jackson, Barkley has performed in the "Monster Monologues" with the Fondren Theatre Workshop and "Steel Magnolias" with Black Rose Theatre. She plans on auditioning with New Stage Theatre in August.
While she's not at the Center for Justice or acting, Barkley works with the Center for Violence Prevention where she is a facilitator in batterer's intervention classes for abusers.
"People always ask what I mean when I say I love the guys (that attend the classes), but I do, because we're all flawed human beings. ... But most of them are actively trying to work toward being better people, and I have to respect that," Barkley explains.
Though funding for Barkley's position at the MCJ ends next year, she is considering making Mississippi her home.
"Mississippi has such a sense of place," she says.
She is fascinated by Jackson's transformation into a bustling, vibrant community.
"That's part of what tempts me to stay here," Barkley says. "To see that through till the end, to see Jackson be the city that it once was."
posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 07/28/10 at 11:09 AM. [printer version] Share |
COMMENTS
:: recentcomments
Feb 08, 2012 | 01:26 PMWant Medicaid? Ditch the Vanity Plate
Brian C Johnson: The courts will not allow the state to drug test Medicaid recipients, so why waste money and effort on it? How exactly are single mothers--who make up the majority ...
Feb 08, 2012 | 01:19 PM
[Kamikaze] 'I'm No Token'
Duan C.: Since you guys have turned the thread into a discussion of politics. A while back during one of our meetings we discussed a coming up with a grading system for our elected officials ...
Feb 08, 2012 | 01:06 PM
Want Medicaid? Ditch the Vanity Plate
Ronni_Mott: Republican conservatives are truly confusing. Aren't they the ones who want less government regulation? I suppose that only counts if its regulating things on their ...
Feb 08, 2012 | 12:35 PM
[Kamikaze] 'I'm No Token'
Walt: Renaldo/Blackwatch you have been simply marvelous in your insight and truth telling on this piece. So glad you're back. I thought we had lost you since I didn't see your posts for so ...
Feb 08, 2012 | 12:22 PM
[Editor's Note] Aloha, Jackson
DonnaLadd: Whoops. On second reference in the above column, I said "Air Force caption" instead of Army captain. I've corrected it above.
Feb 08, 2012 | 12:12 PM
Want Medicaid? Ditch the Vanity Plate
Laurie Bertram Roberts: I will say what I said before how does he even know how someone paid for that $30 tag. It could've been a gift they may have used their tax check because ...
Feb 08, 2012 | 11:43 AM
[Kamikaze] 'I'm No Token'
DonnaLadd: Of course, people learn at different speeds; I certainly didn't learn what I know now about writing and journalism craft until I was nearly 40 (of course, that had to do as much as ...
Feb 08, 2012 | 09:56 AM
[Kamikaze] 'I'm No Token'
Kamikaze: Kudos to you and to your Prof. Cant take anything from ya. But the "problem" with the craft around here (and a LOT of things) is that eveyone considers themselves an authority. I ...
Feb 08, 2012 | 09:19 AM
[Kamikaze] 'I'm No Token'
DonnaLadd: I don't want to derail this great thread with journalism lessons, but I'll answer Brad quickly about the problems with yes-or-no questions: Sometimes you can get lucky and get a ...
Feb 08, 2012 | 05:33 AM
[Kamikaze] 'I'm No Token'
Renaldo Bryant: @Duan In my post about corporate America, I noted that social justice and equity must be the only context under which interactions and contestations must take place. Simply ...
Feb 07, 2012 | 04:41 PM
[Kamikaze] 'I'm No Token'
Kamikaze: Well, Donna, as a "good" journalist. In my day..a DAMN good one. Ive gotten plenty of broader answers by follwing up with a "why" or "why not". and honestly the WHY of Kenny Stokes ...
Feb 07, 2012 | 04:14 PM
[Kamikaze] 'I'm No Token'
Duan C.: "Also, transforming Jxn has to be a metro concern, not just a Jxn proper concern. White Flight and residential segregation must be addressed......In the Jxn metro area, they don’t ...
Feb 07, 2012 | 03:31 PM
[Kamikaze] 'I'm No Token'
DonnaLadd: No, yes-or-no questions draw completely different kinds of answers, and usually empty sound bites, thus derailing the possibility of getting an intelligent answer. Good journalists ...
Feb 07, 2012 | 03:18 PM
[Kamikaze] 'I'm No Token'
Kamikaze: Well, a why or why not follow up would take it out of the "yes or no" I think. I dont think Ward 3 needs another councilperson with a "career politician" mentality. The spectre of ...
Feb 07, 2012 | 03:01 PM
[Kamikaze] 'I'm No Token'
DonnaLadd: I'm not interested in term-limit questions, or getting anyone to pledge to them), and I try to never ask a yes-or-no question, but the other ones look good. Thanks to both of you. ...
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