Marcina R. Langrine
Program Manager, Marshallese Educational Initiative
About me: I am a program manager at MEI, a Springdale, Arkansas-based nonprofit organization. The daughter of Marshallese parents, I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, before moving with my family to northwest Arkansas in 2013. I am a student pursuing a degree in business management and international studies. In addition to assisting with administration and program coordination, I have developed trainings and workshops to raise awareness of violence against women and work with Marshallese youth to promote enrollment in higher education. In 2022 I was a featured youth speaker at a United Nations’ Conference in Vienna, Austria, as part of MEI’s work to raise awareness of the nuclear testing legacy. I value spending time with friends and family and love to read and travel.
Lives in: Fayetteville • Works in: Springdale
Best Career Advice: Continue to learn, no matter what stage you are in. I learned to venture out of my comfort zone. Embrace your skills and don’t be afraid to pursue new and challenging skills. Persevere and say “yes” to new opportunities that may scare you.
Lesson Learned the Hard Way: Your fear of failure is worse than failure itself. It’s OK to be wrong sometimes because humility goes a long way. It’s OK to put yourself first, and you can’t fix everyone around you.
Call to Action: I wish people were more aware of our culture and history, and how we continue to advocate and raise awareness for nuclear and climate justice daily. We are a community that still faces many barriers such as food and housing insecurity, Medicaid coverage cuts, health disparities and overall wellness. Despite the barriers, it’s important to highlight that by nature, the Marshallese people will always remain a resilient community.
What Keeps Me Motivated: The community. If it weren’t for the community, my job would not exist. Being told “thank you for all you do” keeps me going because I know I am making a difference. I’m blessed to serve the Pacific Islanders in my community.
TOP 100 WOMEN OF IMPACT IN ARKANSAS 2023
A Women’s Foundation of Arkansas Initiative