Inspiring Conversations with Leigha Wickham of MHLA Vocational Center

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leigha Wickham

Hi Leigha, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
“Dysfunction junction, what’s your function.” ~ Sharon

I grew up in a strange land of denial; gallows humor floated my family by. We knew our family lived in dysfunction however, we never really addressed it; we were born into it. Generational trauma.

I grew up in the wild-wild west, Wyoming. Mom and Dad thought they were Jack and Diane, just two American kids livin’ in the home land. Though, they were more like Sid and Nancy; I wanna be anarchy!

Life was not stable growing up. Dad was good dad and bad dad; he was alcoholic. Mom was codependent and in love, such a Libra. Home life was volatile. It was the mid 1980’s when I began kindergarten. I was a little girl who knew too much and had a hard time keeping friends. I told my friends things like that their parents smoked the green stuff. Sleepovers were a no go because my house was not safe, I knew better at that young age. We lived in poverty but that single wide trailer held love when dad was sober or just kind of buzzed. Mom tried so damn hard; her love was big but not big enough against the monster alcoholism.

Dad succumbed to his behavior as he was shot down in cold blood; caught up in a love triangle. Mom, sister and I moved into the housing projects over by Buffalo Ridge. We never went to therapy. Mom chased more and more cocaine and we were subjected to her poor choice in men.

I was a good student until 9th grade. Up to that point I used school as an escape from my reality, I was a bookworm, nerd. Then I became attractive and began to receive unwanted attention from everyone including bullies. Dad taught me one thing I remember which helped in this time, “Hit them right in the nose, the blood will run and eyes will water and you will have the advantage.” ~ Steve.

Upon Dad’s advise began my stays in and out of juvenile detention. I was kicked out of East High and was accepted at High School III, yes they didn’t bother to name our alternative school; just that third one after Central and East. High School III was a school to prison pipe-bomb. Greeley, Colorado is a roundtrip drive over a lunch hour from my hometown. I was arrested in the principal’s office, what a Pal, huh? The cops were hiding behind the office door; once I took a seat to discuss “my issues” with my Pal, the officers handcuffed me and walked me out of school in front of my entire class. Graffiti charge was the underlying ticket, dude. Overreact much? This experience was when societal labels and treatment played a crucial role in forming an adult view of myself; the labeling, the shunning.

You treat people like criminals they do criminal shit, period. We are at a formative age in high school, and we began to believe what others think and say. School to prison pipeline is really real, y’all.

I received my GED in jail and after another seven long years through hard core drug addiction; the people, places and things I’ve witnessed… make me believe horror movies are based in truth. Art imitates life.

I made it to the other side fairly unscathed but with a label I could not shake, felon. Charged as an adult for something I did at 17 years of age. No deferred judgment, straight up felony and further, at my sentencing hearing I was told on the record to leave the state of Wyoming, not to come back. What does that do to a child’s psyche?

They tried to make me go to rehab and I said yes, yes, yes. I trudged my way forward while ignoring the societal labels constructed against me. I stand before you today a college graduate, CEO and Founder of Mile High Legal Assist, LLC and the MHLA Vocational Center, Colorado based Non-profit.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
What I once viewed as struggle has now developed into an understanding that I was up against major systemic issues brought on by the policing style of the at then Sheriff and the implementation of the “War on Drugs” during and after the Regan administration.

Let’s face it, when people gather and form communities there are invisible boundaries in place for certain people. I was born in the community hospital and brought back to the trailer park on the south side of the train tracks. Two invisible boundaries I learned about; both systemic and both wage a war on class. I also understand the privilege of my skin color. I was able to come up out of the trailer park and assimilate to “The Man’s World” easier than my fellows with a darker skin tone. I thought had to play the game to make it. Go to college, buy the house, drive the car, wear the clothes, speak the jargon. I was wrong. I was a great “man’s woman”, first born daughter of an alcoholic dad, come on now.

It was only when I discovered my true personal honor is when things changed and I found my power in my truth. This is the magic we make at the MHLA Vocational Center.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We aim to bridge the poverty gap as the MHLA Center is organized to provide a path to economic security for those experiencing hardship by offering occupational training focused on building administrative skills and refining interpersonal relations.

MHLA Vocational Center is the nonprofit leg of Mile High Legal Assist (MHLA). MHLA is a Paraprofessional Law Firm, we assist attorneys working under a registration number issued by a state bar association. MHLA has experience practicing in several Federal and State jurisdictions including Colorado.

MHLA Vocational Center (“MHLA Center”)
Our purpose: the nonprofit corporation is organized to provide a path to economic security for those experiencing hardship by providing occupational training focused on building administrative skills and refining interpersonal relations as well as providing a safe space for wellness.

The Center philosophy:
We believe in honor. The Center was founded in the spirit of label rebranding. Individuals in our society are given labels which lead to gross marginalization. Tabula Rasa theory, individuals are born without built-in mental content, and therefore all knowledge comes from experience or perception. We need to forget everything we “know” and learn for ourselves.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I’d like to take this time to give a special thank you to my immediate family. Y’all are the most supportive functioning household a girl like me could ever wish for. We all did the footwork to be our best selves! I couldn’t do the work I do without family unit support.

I didn’t turn my back on my past, I brought those that I could up outta that trailer park with me. We live in a multigenerational home and it RULES!

Gratitude leads my path today, thank you to all who have supported this little dream of mine into reality.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.milehighlegalassist.com/mhla-center
• Instagram: @mhla_center