Winter Graduation 2020: Alexandria's story
By: Stephanie Allen
Last updated: Wednesday, 22 January 2020
Alexandria Best, Criminology and Criminal Justice MA
As a child I was told by teachers, that people like me did not go to college or University. I was advised to work at a supermarket or a library since I loved to read so much. My mother abused alcohol and although she loved myself and my brothers, I raised them with a lot of support from family members and would sometimes go without food. We were racially abused throughout our entire education up to 16 years of age. I attended college at age 16 and 31. I attended university at age 33 and 42. I have dyslexia which makes everything challenging. However, my goal was to help children and young people faced with depravity, learning challenges and with parents who abuse drugs and or alcohol.
Specialising in harmful sexual behaviour, this Masters will enable me to have even greater holistic and legal input within young peoples lives who find themselves in contact with the CPS. We found our mother dead 2 weeks before my dissertation was due. Sussex have encouraged me to continue being one of the only brown faces in lectures, often the only brown face in my field and to continue within education as far as my dedication will allow me.