Open Letter to a Hero, Jennifer Lackey
By D.C. Crite
I’ve seen my fair share of heroes.
Some of them wear capes. Most of them do not. What they all share in common, though, is this: no matter how battered, bruised, broken, tired, and emotionally crippled by various disappointments they experience, they continue to try to save humanity.
Heroes carry on because they have made a promise to others that they will give it their all and they won’t let others down. They give hope.
NPEP graduate D.C. Crite embraces Prof. Jennifer Lackey at NPEP’s inaugural bachelor’s degree ceremony. (photo credit: Monika Wnuk)
Heroes fight for no personal gain. They are selfless. They choose to fight on unlikely battlefields against seemingly unbeatable opponents.
For these reasons, Professor Jennifer Lackey, you are, without a doubt, a hero.
You’ve seen the world and the things you want to change about it. Injustice, inequality, and hatred disturbed you. I believe that, most of all, you were angered by the lack of respect and sensitivity to people in prison. To me, you felt you needed to speak out and take action to make change happen.
Most importantly, you knew that real change comes from inside!
Many people go through their lives without a real sense of purpose. Not you — you have a mission, and you believe in it with total passion.
For those who have felt undeserving of being saved, you’ve stood up and defended them. You’ve been wounded, but you persevere and fight on. I’ve seen others quit for far less.
Although you’ve been through the fire, you manage to keep your head up. For your sacrifices, others notice and respect you. But you know the fight isn’t over. It never will be.
I believe you chose this battle because you wanted to mentor other heroes in this world. Though you came into this knowing that even the best-laid plans and strategies might fail, you would still win for us. Take solace! Your continued fight makes you a proven winner. Every day, you teach me and others how to win.
Please continue to be a hero, an example of how to stand tall, how to fly even when your cape has holes, and to be steadfast in moments of uncertainty.
