Joyce Imafidon was born on December 30, 1991. She has lived in Boston all of her life. She was raised in a Nigerian household with her two sisters before reuniting with her oldest sister from Nigeria in 2009. She is a hardworking and responsible individual with a growing interest in law, community work, and public relations. Initially, she was involved in the health profession as well as the performing arts before realizing that she wanted to pursue a career in the law field. Joyce’s ability to advise and help friends and family members with their problems paved the way to her community and mentoring activities. Joyce is no stranger to current events, on a typical day she either reads the newspaper or watches the news for at least two hours.
Joyce attended the Pauline A. Shaw Elementary School before entering the Mildred Ave. Middle School. In the spring of 2003, she was accepted into Boston Latin School, one of the top three exam schools in the state. She will be entering her senior year at Boston Latin School this fall of 2009 and will be graduating from the 375th class in June 2010. There is no doubt that she will further her education after high school. She plans to attend college, preferably in D.C., where law and politics are at their greatest height.
Inside and outside of school, Joyce is deeply engaged with her community. Several days of the week, she volunteers at her local library, not only assisting children with their homework but also serving as their mentor. She is the president and founder of Project Dance Crew, a dance club at her high school, and participates in many shows and clubs such as the Asian community, Fashion-Talent Club, and the School Choir. At her church, she is a member of the Drama Ministry.
Joyce attended a health career program every summer for four years and it was then that she realized she was drawn more to law in order to help people than to health. Joyce heard about the John William Ward Public Service Fellowship through her Boston P.I.C. counselor, Roselys Esteve, and decided that it would be a wonderful opportunity to learn if public service was for her. This experience will definitely allow Joyce to gain hands-on experience in her community while getting a taste of law and politics. Out of approximately forty students, Joyce was chosen to be one of the fifteen 2009 Ward Fellows. This summer, she is interning in State Representative Marie St. Fleur’s office. Her talents can take her to a variety of places. However, she knows that her desire for helping people and determining what is right, wrong and fair is a passion that will never die.