Meet Marie Martelly

Whitworth Cadre Two
'08 Graduate (Political Studies)
School for Environmental Studies '04

"It is not enough for a man to disapprove of Pimlico: in that case he will merely cut his throat or move to Chelsea. Nor, certainly, is it enough for a man to approve of Pimlico: for then it will remain Pimlico, which would be awful. The only way out of it seems to be for somebody to love Pimlico."
-G.K. Chesterton.

Remembering Pimlico

"Pimlico, I always think about Pimlico and I will never forget it – to love the place that you're from." Marie Martelly says reflecting on the central theme of a devotional given during the Act Six initial retreat some years prior. The concept of what it means to love a place and for that love to make that place great has not only stuck with Marie in memory, but in her heart at as well. "When you love something that is unlovable that is when the huge change occurs," she says.

Home is where the heart is

Since hearing and owning Chesterton's philosophy for herself, Marie has been constantly challenged to use this perspective to make change wherever she goes. As the only Tacoma Act Six scholar to graduate from a high school outside of Washington, Marie has had to make sense of how growing up in New York has shaped her, what Tacoma means to her, and lastly how being at Whitworth in Spokane fits into her understanding of what it means call a place home. "Spokane is my home, Tacoma is my home, and a piece of me is in New York," she says summing up her perspective.

Pimlico is everywhere

Marie's journey to the place in her heart where she can call all these places home was not an easy one. At one time, each of these places could have been considered unlovable in her perspective. "I seen a lot of injustices growing up," she says reflecting on growing up in Brooklyn. Only spending a year and a half in Tacoma before coming to Whitworth, Marie didn't see this western city as offering much more either. Since being at Whitworth she has learned to deal with a whole new set of frustrations, but her response wherever she goes has always been, "I know I was placed here for a purpose; things like this don't just happen for no apparent reason at all."

Finding her purpose

At Whitworth, Marie has not only been committed to making this place her home and loving her community, but finding her unique purpose as well. Originally a biology major, Marie is now majoring in political studies. As a Haitian American who has lived on both sides of the country, she has very passionately brought her unique perspective to classroom conversations. Marie has interned in the community at the Public Defender's office. On campus, she has been involved as a Cultural Diversity Advocate, as a member of the Catholic club and Black Student Union.

Looking to the future

Marie remembers her dreams as a child in New York, "All I knew is that I wanted to go to college and gain that knowledge and go back into my community (and the world) and apply what I have learned." She says. Though she could never have predicted that the definition of "her community" would expand as it has, her philosophy of love and servant leadership remains the same. "In this world when you're given life you're given a purpose and I think the overall purpose is to serve," she says.

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