Bates College and the wider world lost a beautiful soul last week, as Destany Franklin, class of 2014, passed away unexpectedly. Hailing from Seattle, Destany fully inhabited Lewiston, Maine as her adoptive home. As a Bonner Leader and an education minor, she spent many hours in the local public schools, but it was at Lewiston Housing Authority’s Hillview low-income housing complex that she made her most significant impact. Destany was a fixture at Hillview throughout her four years at Bates, supporting programs for older youth from refugee families. When a new staff person in charge of youth programming struggled, Destany stepped into a leadership role, planning curriculum, leading sessions with youth, and managing behavior and other issues as they arose. “I have never known anybody who could juggle as much as she did, with school, multiple jobs, and her community work,” says Carla Harris, Hillview’s longtime resident services manager and Destany’s community partner. Carla recalls that soon after Destany began working at Hillview, she wrote a successful grant for shoes and winter boots needed by the immigrant community to survive Maine’s cold and snowy winters.

To watch Destany in action with the Hillview youth was to watch a master at work. The young people she mentored both loved and respected her. She simultaneously engaged them, demonstrated her deep concern and regard for them, and set clear boundaries in a way that was simultaneously firm and compassionate. In short, she was a natural-born teacher.

At the Harward Center, we were so impressed by Destany that we offered her a coveted spot in the Bonner Leader Program, a four-year civic leadership program. The usual path into the program requires students to apply during the summer before their first year on campus. Destany had missed that window, but when a spot opened up we seized the chance to invite her into the program. During our regular Bonner workshops and reflection sessions, Destany pushed us all to think deeply about issues related to power and privilege, racial justice, and poverty. At the same time, she was constantly aware that others had a steeper learning curve, and she was a wonderful mentor for many of the younger Bonners.

Each spring, Maine Campus Compact invites Bates to nominate a student for their Heart and Soul Award, which recognizes students “who have been actively involved in turning their campuses and communities into places of democracy.” In 2014, as Destany was preparing to graduate, she was our obvious nominee for this award, and we were delighted (though not at all surprised) when she won this statewide honor. Destany had way more heart, and a lot more soul, than most people her own age, or for that matter any age.

Destany was also a beloved friend and an inspiration to many on the Bates campus. Friend and classmate Patrick Williams (Bates class of 2011) speaks for many: “Destany Franklin was an extremely charismatic and influential person. She was highly motivated and always went above and beyond in all she did. She was loved and respected by anyone she came in contact with. Truly a beautiful soul, Destany was and is. There is so much more that can be said. To sum it up, Destany Franklin was the kind of person who would give you the clothes off her back if you had none. She will be extremely missed by anyone who had the pleasure of crossing paths with her.”

After graduation, Destany moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in health care. Most recently, she was in the process of applying to medical school. Her Bates academic advisor, neuroscience professor Nancy Koven, recently held a Zoom meeting with Destany to discuss her applications. Says professor Koven, “Destany was one of the kindest, gentlest souls I have ever met while at the same time being passionately committed to core values in family, community, and education. Ready to embark on her journey to medical school, she expressed a steadfast desire to serve as a resource and mentor for healthcare access and advocacy. With a long and vibrant life ahead of her, I am reminded of — and am humbled by — what Destany had already accomplished through her courageous, patient, and generous spirit.”

Destany Franklin, Bates class of 2014, always so vibrant, will live on in our hearts and minds.