Lysa Cole is a 20-year-old Spokane woman who saved an American flag from being burned during a protest this summer. She has been vocal in the community for positive change through healthy dialogue with elected officials and positive outlets for the youth to channel their voice.
Today she was awarded a scholarship by Spokane’s ‘Military Officers Association of America’ Chapter on Monday.
“These are the type of leaders that we want in the future. One’s that will step forward and look out for everyone,” David Melges, the president of Spokane’s MOAA Chapter, said. “She stood up for everybody that’s ever fought for that flag.”
While learning more about Cole and her story, Melges found out Cole was trying to get to school in California and needed a little more money.
“That’s not right. You should be able to continue your education,” Melges said.
Dozens of veterans from Spokane and the surrounding area decided to create a college grant worth $2,685 to help fund her education.
MOAA, the country’s largest and most influential association of military officers, is a nonprofit organization. They advocate for compensation and benefit matters for all members of the military community.
Lysa Cole isn’t military but her family has an extensive military history.
“My dad was in the Army. My brother is in. My grandfather’s were in,” Cole said. “Saying ‘Black Lives Matter’ isn’t saying ‘Oh, I hate America’ and saying ‘Oh, I stand for the flag, I support our troops’ is not saying, ‘Oh, I hate all Black people’… “When you’re saying ‘Black Lives Matter,’ it’s also being patriotic because America was made to be an equal opportunity place for everybody. Even though it wasn’t founded on that, it has the potential to be that.”
Coals’ goal is to study psychology and law, so she can be a counselor to help victims of human trafficking.
“I plan on going to SCC for the next year, then transferring to Eastern (Washington University) online and finishing out the rest of my degree there. Then after that, hopefully get my Master’s at a school that’ll accept me,” Cole said.
Cole is also a member of First Amendment Free, a local non-profit that previously held events in Spokane, created a few months ago in June, “when the youth of Spokane decided to organize and make an impact. Our First Amendment rights challenges the status quo, holding our leaders accountable and fighting for solutions that will transform society.”
