Dom Felix joined PJALS this year as part of an internship through Eastern Washington University’s Social Work program. Dom has been a long-time resident of the Spokane area who recently chose to pursue higher education in hopes of becoming a chemical dependency counselor. Now as a senior in the program, Dom has come to the decision that working on systemic social change would be a more constructive use of his social work career. This realization lead to Dom choosing PJALS as an internship placement when he became aware of the organization during a lobby day trip to Olympia last year.
A Master’s in Social Work degree is the next step for Dom, enabling him to use his degree helping felons in their rehabilitation process as well as change policies that limit individuals because of their criminal record. The opportunities at PJALS will be very advantageous to Dom’s long-term career goals. Spending his intern hours on the Death Penalty Abolition Committee, Spokane Police Accountability and Reform Coalition, and Smart Justice will bridge the connection between Dom’s passion and necessary experience in the field. “The Spokane Police Accountability and Reform Coalition has really caught my attention,” Dom says. “I really like being involved in local government and policies that affect my community.” With three grown children and two young granddaughters, Dom certainly sees value in investing in the community of tomorrow.