My name is Shelby Alphin! I was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and because of that, I have a strong desire to explore the United States and experience things that I’ve never seen or done before. I’ve never seen the mountains before or have experienced a white Christmas, so I hope to one day experience those things. I have two biological sisters, Alexa and Sydney, and two stepbrothers, Nandi and Bilal. In my free time, I work full-time at Food Lion and enjoy listening to true crime podcasts, exercising, organizing and cleaning, and maintaining a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.

Due to issues that I’ve faced throughout my childhood and marrying into a diverse family, I’ve found a passion for justice and equal representation. I am a student at Old Dominion University majoring in Criminal Justice. With this degree, I have hopes of going to law school and becoming a defense attorney for organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union or the Innocence Project, which aim to reform flaws within the criminal justice system. Ultimately, I have a desire to help people. I want to amplify voices of the people who are not being listened to and I hope to contribute to the resolution of the social epidemics that plague our country. I am taking this class because I believe that social situations and statuses are a major factor in why individuals resort to crime, but I’d love to learn more about the specifics of why and how social settings and expectations can lead to criminality.

“I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.”

– James Baldwin