When Erika Desroches left New York for Dallas a little over three years ago, she had a hard time meeting people who shared her values. But things changed when she became a March Tocqueville Fellow.
“Through the program,” Erika says, “I have had the privilege of engaging with a cohort that shares my desire to make a positive impact on our community.”
It was her father, Pascal Desroches, an AT&T executive and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas board member, who encouraged her to get involved in the fellowship. Pascal is a Haitian immigrant who Erika says embodies the American Dream.
He witnessed firsthand how quality education opens doors to greater opportunities, and he has used those opportunities to give back to organizations that work to improve the lives of underserved communities, like United Way. His selflessness is what got Erika to where she is today.
“I’ve been incredibly lucky with the opportunities and experiences life has offered me,” she says. “My aspiration is to pay it forward, ensuring others have access to the same opportunities I’ve enjoyed.”
One unique way she’s paying it forward is through the development of the social wellness group, The Zero Proof Social Club.
Erika says it’s aimed at combatting the growing issue of loneliness in the community, a feeling associated with an increased risked of mental health challenges like anxiety and depression — moods common among people experiencing homelessness. The social club will be an offshoot of The Zero Proof Social, a non-alcoholic events business she founded and manages.
“During a March Fellow impact discussion last October, we touched on the intricate link between homelessness and mental health struggles, recognizing how these challenges often intertwine as both cause and consequence,” Erika says. “Through my involvement with UWMD as March Fellow and United Way 100 Host Committee member, I hope to be an advocate for change in this regard.”
