Stepping into a space with Zoe Lucas, it is immediately apparent that she illuminates a presence of sincerity and insightfulness to all who surround her. Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Lucas is in the midst of completing her first year at Eastern University as she majors in Business Administration with a minor in Spanish. Lucas chose to major in Business Administration because her family is in the process of creating a nonprofit foundation; hence Lucas wants to learn all the skills necessary to help manage this foundation successfully. Although Lucas’s family is still in the process of establishing this foundation, the overarching goal is “to be able to work with nonprofit organizations around the U.S. that are already established and improving the community,” Lucas stated.
In addition to Business Administration, Lucas demonstrated great excitement towards her minor in Spanish. Although Lucas began learning Spanish in the beginning of elementary school, Lucas admitted that she “never took it seriously until 9th or 10th grade,” Lucas explained. After moving to a location with a larger population of Spanish-speakers, Lucas began noticing that she was able to understand Spanish conversations better. This caused her to ask herself, “Why just stop when I’ve gotten so far?,” Lucas shared. Lucas has committed to learning Spanish; therefore, she is excited to extend her knowledge by studying abroad in Ecuador this summer!
Outside of her studies, Lucas has been involved in multiple organizations that strive for justice. Lucas has an abundance of knowledge surrounding injustices, including those created by achievement gaps that occur within low income school systems. In an academic article that Lucas read, she explained that some people “get to go on a smooth running escalator and then some people have to walk up broken stairs,” Lucas emphasized. Hence, Lucas shared the importance of nonprofit organizations, such as Urban Promise, that do not wait until “after-the-fact” to deal with an injustice. Lucas has also been involved with The Hope Commission, which aims to develop, promote, evaluate and advocate for strategies that focus on revitalizing struggling areas of Wilmington.
Lucas’s involvement and passion for justice issues stems from the experiences and individuals that have inspired her. After her family lost their house, Lucas struggled with the uncertainty and changes that this caused. This difficulty transformed into a lens in which Lucas used to help others better. “It’s great when you want to help people, but it can be a great help when you’ve actually gone through it yourself as well because it gives you a different perspective,” Lucas stated. Specifically, helping people experiencing homelessness is on Lucas’s heart due to her first-hand experience with housing displacement. Furthermore, Lucas also feels inspired by her father, mother, and aunts. She describes them as being a “spiritual chair” for her by “encouraging me, interceding through prayer with me, and just speaking life into my life,” Lucas described.
On top of having a passionate heart, Lucas also has a deep love of ballroom dancing and crocheting. Since she was three years old, Lucas has had a passion for dance. She specifically enjoys ballroom dancing due to the structure that it provides, giving her a sense of freedom. Regarding her love of crocheting, she is currently in the process of making a cover for her cat! She knows how to crochet two different types of stitches and has a desire to continue learning!