Dr. Davalu Parrish: An Advocate for Jacksonville Inner-City Youth

            Dr. Davalu Parrish, President and CEO of The Bridge of Northeast Florida, is a person who feels very strongly about peoples’ rights.  She builds positive relationships.  People know that she means what she says and says what she means. She is a leader and a highly respected member of the Jacksonville community.  The love she has for the inner-city youth is remarkable.

            Parrish was born in Oklahoma during the 1940s.  She moved to Jacksonville, Fla. with her husband Ron Mudd in 1970.  They raised their three children here.  People call her “Davy” for short, thanks to her great-great-great-uncle Davy Crockett.

            Parrish made her start in Jacksonville as a part time second-grade teacher at Mary McCloud Bethune.  Shortly after, she became a teacher at the school for pregnant girls.  Parrish realized how serious of an issue teen pregnancy was in Jacksonville. 

            Parrish left the school to become the Director of Education and Counseling at Planned Parenthood in Jacksonville.  After four years, she became the Executive Director of Family Health Services and began doing sexuality workshops around the community.

            “I began to go to school board meetings and sex education was a no-no,” said Parrish.  “I became fairly controversial because I was such an advocate and felt like we needed sex education in the school.”

            

            A study was done by the Jacksonville Community Council Inc. on teen pregnancy in Jacksonville and it recommended that a multi-service center for teens be started.  After having a University of North Florida intern make a map showing the highest concentration of teen pregnancies in the inner city, Parrish purchased an old funeral home at the corner of 8^th St. and Pearl St. and converted it into what is now called The Bridge of Northeast Florida.

            The Bridge started out focusing of prevention, primary care, prenatal care, STD treatment and family planning.  Outside of health issues, The Bridge also provided an after-school center to help children with homework. 

            The Bridge has now expanded and has two more centers.  The Learning Center, located on 8^th St., is for elementary school students, and The Weaver Zone, an old school located behind the Administrative Office, is for middle and high school students. 

            Along with teen pregnancy issues and homework help, The Bridge also offers job placement and internships.  The Bridge strives for abstinence and helps children reach their goals of graduating high school and entering college.  To help the children embrace correct values, Parrish and staff created a litany that expresses the gratitude for a new day, that they are capable of achieving their goals, there are people who care about them, and they are not alone.

            “I see an opportunity for more new adventures as far as The Bridge is concerned,” said Parrish.  “As far as I’m concerned, I hope The Bridge does not miss a step and I don’t intend them to.  We have the strength and committee, and as I transition out, our leadership group will continue and be even stronger.”