Marie St. Fleur will join Parenting Journey as its second Social and Family Justice Fellow. A former state representative from Dorchester’s Fifth Suffolk district, St. Fleur will focus on public policy and civic engagement and building partnerships through February 2019.

St. Fleur, the first Haitian-American to serve in the Massachusetts Legislature, will also lend her combined expertise of the legislative process and early childhood education to inform Parenting Journey’s policy agenda.

“As a staunch champion for families, Marie St. Fleur has seen first-hand the trials and tribulations of raising children in high poverty communities, in particular the impact of the high cost of childcare and housing,” said Parenting Journey Executive Director Imari Paris Jeffries.

“I am proud to partner with Parenting Journey as their next Social and Family Justice Fellow, supporting their efforts to uplift parents and strengthen families,” said St. Fleur. “I look forward to contributing to the organization’s policy agenda and addressing systemic barriers that prevent all families from realizing the futures they deserve.”

Former Boston City Councillor Tito Jackson was Parenting Journey’s first Social and Family Justice Fellow last spring and helped to shape the role moving forward.

“We are excited to build upon the architecture that we started with Tito. We feel our work is more impactful when we partner with experts to amplify our work with parents and caregivers,” said Paris Jeffries.

St. Fleur will participate as a panelist during Parenting Journey’s first-ever Social & Family Justice Institute, on Oct. 22 at The Westin Copley Place. For more information, visit parentingjourney.org.