By Tempestt Adams
Longtime member (43 years to be exact) of the Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) Cynthia Marshall is an undeniable asset to the larger Charlotte community.
Cynthia is best known as Founding Executive Director of Charlotte Communities In Schools. In 2006, after 21 years of very fulfilling work, Cynthia retired. Even in retirement, her investment in the Charlotte community is ongoing and evident through her service work. Serving on several non-profit boards locally and at the state and national levels, Cynthia supports: Communities in Schools of North Carolina as a member of the Executive Committee and Program Support Chair; Washington D.C.’s International Leadership Foundation Advisory Council, which brokers resources and aligns partnerships and communities of faith to transform neighborhoods in large cities; the WINGS Scholarship Board of Women Executives, assisting women 25 and older who are upperclassmen in five local universities with scholarships and a personal mentor; the Myers Park High School Interact Club as a liaison from Charlotte Rotary; and as a founding board member of 100 Gardens, Charlotte – promoting aquaponic agriculture and STEM education by helping students think differently about food production and environmental sustainability. Finally, as a JLC Sustainer, she also serves on the 2018-2019 Sustainer Board.
Her JLC involvement includes serving as one of two delegates to the groundbreaking Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI) Child Advocacy Institute (as a first year Active in 1976); Chair of Child Advocacy with five focus areas (1977-78); Community Vice President, Advisory Planning Chair, and Corporate Recognition committee for JLC Follies (1980s); President Elect (1983-84), President (1984-85) and the AJLI Nominating Committee – Southeast (1985-87).
With an impressive resume, Cynthia credits her background in child advocacy to the trainings the JLC provided and the relationships it helped cultivate. She can recall “a time when the concept of advocacy was new to all but attorneys.” During her active years with the JLC, Cynthia was a part of the AJLI initiative to focus on five areas of child advocacy (child care, foster care, child abuse and neglect, early screenings for infants for potential learning issues and health issues). The JLC placed fifty people on this committee and they were divided among those focus areas in order to take a holistic approach to the children’s issues that were the most prevalent. She explains, “at that time, there were only a few agencies in Charlotte serving young children. This work involved members researching articles, meeting, and connecting with professionals in the community. Through these efforts the JLC served as a catalyst to help build the network of services that we know today.”
Upon reflection, Cynthia recalls the numerous opportunities given to her by the JLC. She explains, “the JLC gave me the chance to learn about children’s issues and how the local government and the community work together, as well as training both formal and observed, longtime relationships and mentors, and opportunities for connections and personal exposure to the community priorities.”
When asked to identify the greatest lesson learned as a JLC member, Cynthia responded, “I was trained to listen actively and to be open to critical needs as well as ideas. Sometimes we may assume we understand the situation but we may not really hear the critical information. I believe we can continue to serve in building Charlotte if we’re willing to listen on a deep and personal level.”
Cynthia urges the women of the JLC to “to honor Charlotte’s history and cherish that it has always been a ‘can do’ community. If we sit and talk together, leaders across sectors can weave a tapestry of support and opportunity for all the citizens of Charlotte. It does take a huge commitment and dedicated effort over many years.”
Cynthia’s work and legacy can be best described by taking what Bill Milliken, founder of national Communities In Schools, has often said, “Relationships, not programs, are what transform the lives of children and families.”
The Junior League of Charlotte and the city itself, are better because of women like Cynthia Marshall.
