COMMITTED TO
COMMUNITY
Meet Deselyn Marshall, the latest winner of the Anne Cox Chambers Award
Deselyn Marshall’ s deep-rooted sense of community began at a young age. Her mother was the family’ s primary breadwinner after her father was diagnosed with lupus and couldn’ t work; Deselyn witnessed firsthand the value of hard work and selflessness.
COMMITTED TO GIVING BACK For Deselyn, a customer care supervisor for Cox Communications in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, volunteering isn’ t just about giving time. It’ s about advocating for those who aren’ t always heard, particularly children in the foster care system.
“ The children are our future, and they need a voice to stand up for them to help make a difference in their lives,” she said.
TRAGEDY BECOMES PURPOSE Deselyn’ s advocacy work is deeply personal. Her eldest son, Antonio, was placed in youth detention during a challenging period early in his life. Visiting him weekly, Deselyn noticed many of the young people in the system lacked family support.
“ Even though people make bad decisions, they’ re still human,” Deselyn said.“ I was able to visit with another young man each time we visited with Antonio because his mom did not visit. This young man was so appreciative of the visits and that we treated him like family.”
Tragically, Antonio lost his life to gun violence in 2007. This devastating loss, coupled with what she saw during visits to the youth detention center, fueled Deselyn’ s resolve to guide other young people away from the pitfalls that claimed Antonio’ s life.
For three years, Deselyn has worked with Capital Area Court Appointed Special Advocates, where she has helped more than 3,900 local children in the legal system by representing their best interests and ensuring they are placed in safe, permanent homes. She volunteers with the Boys & Girls Clubs’ Virtual Read Aloud program, and with the Foundation for East Baton Rouge School System. Additionally, Deselyn has been a member of Cox Charities— a Cox Communications employee giving program that supports local organizations in the field— since joining the company in 2013.
Tracy White, public affairs manager for Cox Communications, has worked with Deselyn
18 SPRING 2025