Born in prison, Polk State Criminal Justice grad inspired to give back to students like her

For Destiny Fairless, life has been less than fair. Born in prison, she has been determined to overcome the impacts of her circumstances. Graduating from Polk State College with her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, it is safe to say that she has accomplished just that.

Fairless will walk the graduation stage on May 2 with Polk State’s 130th class with her two daughters and her mentors onlooking and celebrating just how far she has come.

“It means absolutely everything to be graduating because my whole life I thought this was a path that was unattainable to me,” Fairless said. “I spent most of my life thinking that I wasn’t smart enough to go to school, let alone graduate from college. I’ve not only proven others wrong, but I’ve shown myself what I can do, and I have shown my daughters that they can do anything too.”

Fairless was born in Marion County’s Lowell Correction Center in 1992. Both of her parents were in and out of prison throughout her childhood. She stayed with grandparents, sisters, and friends, moving from school to school and lacking a sense of home or stability, she explained.

“It means absolutely everything to be graduating because my whole life I thought this was a path that was unattainable to me. I’ve not only proven others wrong, but I’ve shown myself what I can do, and I have shown my daughters that they can do anything too.”

Fairless dropped out of high school four times before being expelled and given only one option: to attend Pace Center for Girls. Pace was founded as an organization for girls in the juvenile justice system exhibiting delinquent behavior often caused by trauma. Through education, counseling, training, and advocacy, Pace provides wraparound services and an accelerated academic pathway for young women like Fairless, who ended up graduating at just 16 years old.

“Pace taught me about being a woman and provided me with the resources I needed at that time in my life,” Fairless said. “It became the foundation for what I would ultimately end up pursuing in life.”

She married and had children, aspiring to a settled-down life she had not yet experienced. As she got older, Fairless wanted to “do better, be better, and provide better for my family.” That inspired her to seek higher education.

At 27 years old, she enrolled in Polk State College and “knew exactly what I wanted to do.”

“I want to do the right thing and help others do the right thing,” she said. “I have been advocated for when I couldn’t speak. Now I want to be the voice for those who need it. That’s where my story comes full circle.”

A resident of Polk City, Fairless chose Polk State because it is the “local, affordable, familiar” option. It’s also a quality option that made it possible for Fairless to balance her academic pursuits, a full-time job, and raising her two children.

The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Program, specifically, can be completed fully online.

“That’s the reason I can do it,” she said. “Polk State made it possible for me to achieve my goals without neglecting time with my children or my job.”

Fairless is a College and Career teacher at New Beginnings High School, a Title I charter school that serves students from a variety of backgrounds between the ages of 15 and 24.

“Our students come with a plethora of challenges. I tell each of them that no matter what, I’m going to see them through to graduation,” she exclaimed. “I know it works because I am a product of early intervention. I am here because my teachers and my counselors believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Now I get to be that for someone else.”

Fairless is a role model for her students.

“They are shook when I tell them about myself,” she said. “I am very candid and open with my students because it is important for them to have representation — to see someone who came from a similar situation who is doing what I am able to do now.”

She has also found a family and support system through her colleagues at New Beginnings. At the time of her interview with Polk State for this story, Fairless had just taken the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) that morning. Throughout her interview, she received numerous cellphone messages from coworkers checking in to see how she did and to offer words of encouragement.

“Polk State has given me the knowledge and competencies I need to feel well prepared going into law school and becoming a lawyer.”

Fairless plans to apply to law school and sees herself practicing law in Florida in the next three to five years.

“I will never leave the community that raised me,” she said when reflecting on her future. “I’m going to spend my life using my education to be the type of person who would have protected me as a child through advocacy.”

And Polk State has prepared her well for her future endeavors, Fairless said.

“Polk State has given me the knowledge and competencies I need to feel well prepared going into law school and becoming a lawyer,” she said, giving a special shoutout to Professor of Criminal Justice Chasity Branham. “I encourage everyone, including my students, to come to Polk State. This program wasn’t easy, but I tell people who are afraid of failure that the professors and staff here will not let you fail. They are here to help you every step of the way.”

This has further shaped Fairless and her unwavering support of her own students.

She has also inspired her children. Fairless’ 12-year-old wants to be a lawyer like her mom. Her 9-year-old aspires to become an astronaut. The sky is certainly not the limit for either.

“A powerful experience through all of this has been allowing my kids to watch me fail and get back up again,” Fairless shared. “They have watched me every step of the way. They have helped me with flashcards, and they have watched me spend countless hours on my schoolwork. Now, they will watch me graduate and they will know that they can do anything they set their minds to.”

“I come from a long line of degenerates and thieves, but all that ends with me.”