“NEPA has become so diverse. I was born and raised here and I can see a difference. So, to be able embrace all of that and shed a light in the community is the goal.”
Markeata Sanchez considers herself a “hyper local” girl. Having grown up in the Parsons section of Wilkes-Barre – and but for a very brief relocation to Philadelphia – she has called Northeastern Pennsylvania home all her life.
Since childhood, and extending into her work today, she’s always used her voice. First through creative writing and open mic poetry nights to hyping the crowd during high school pep rallies and as captain of the step team at the former Coughlin High School. And well before podcasts became trendy, Markeata hosted her own program on Wilkes University’s radio station interviewing and spotlighting local musical artists.
With a fresh communications degree in hand, Markeata accepted an opportunity at her alma mater as an admissions counselor, recruiting students to join the Colonel family. Then, last May, she found her way to Wyoming Seminary where she’s currently Associate Director of College Counseling. Now, as opposed to recruiting students, she’s helping them prepare for their collegiate future.
And she’s still using that voice, now as part of her work alongside the Community Counsel addressing diversity, establishing the school’s Black Student Union, working with the Students of Color Alliance (SOCA) and spearheading SEM’s annual Martin Luther King Day celebration.
Today she and her family – including her husband Santo, whom she met on a girls’ trip to the Dominican Republic, and after a long-distance romance, relocated to NEPA – and two children call Edwardsville home. On a beautiful spring day on the Wyoming Seminary campus blooming with cherry blossoms, we caught up with Markeata as she enthusiastically talked about working alongside students to rejoice, celebrate and embrace who they are, and of course, Why NEPA?
How long have you lived in NEPA?
34 years. 35 in July.
What do you love about your town?
I’ll say, what have I grown to love about the town? I’ve grown to love the diversity in the town. I can literally go dance bachata (a style of Dominican Republic dance) if I wanted to. I can do anything here. Everyone’s represented here. There’re Italians. There’s Polish. I love going to bazaars in the summer. So, I love the diversity here and the diversity in activities also.
There are resources here, also, for everyone. And that’s what I like. If you want to learn Spanish or English, there’re tons of resources. There are resources if you need food, if you need clothing, if you need assistance with professional development. I love the opportunity that’s provided for everyone to kind of grow here.
What’s your favorite NEPA restaurant?
Okay. Oh, my goodness. What is my favorite restaurant here? Hmmm. I like a lot of them but where would I go for my birthday dinner? What would I want to have? I really enjoy the Alter House in Clarks Summit. I love the vibe. I love the mimosa tower. And the staff are really great there.
What’s your favorite thing to do in NEPA?
We enjoy going to Hickory Run in the summer, to the lake, we call it. We enjoy going out there swimming. Nice free activities with the kids. We cook there. It’s like a big family reunion every time we go. My husband loves to cook and he wants to do it every Sunday in the summer. So, we like to go to Hickory Run and cook and dance and meet other folks and swim.
We love to visit Knoebels. If it’s a hot day, my favorite ride is the Skloosh. On a cooler day, I like the antique cars. And the Old Mill Ice Cream is a must try while visiting the park.
Another hometown favorite is Frances Slocum State Park — the pool, the picnic area, and lake are great places to spend the day to reset.
What’s next for you?
Creative writing is still something I want to do but since being here at Wyoming Seminary and college counseling, I think I would go the route of getting a Masters in counseling degree. And then maybe circling back around to creative writing. Creative writing is more for myself – to share myself with others. Where counseling assists me in my day-to-day with what I’m doing here at Seminary.
Where do you see NEPA heading in the future?
You know what I see? I see this becoming an entrepreneurial area. You kind of have to create opportunities for yourself. This place is founded by people creating opportunities for themselves. With the coal mine, everyone was picking themselves up and finding their way.
I know my grandparents’ found themselves here doing the same thing. My grandfather is from Florida. He came here for the racetracks. He established himself here. He met my grandmother who is from Baltimore, Maryland, here and the same thing. My grandmother on my dad’s side is from Mississipi. She found herself here trying to create opportunity. Born in the 1930s, she was escaping Jim Crow, which wasn’t here, so she was able to create a life for her 11 children that otherwise they truly would not have had. I think we’re going to continue to head in the direction of creating opportunities for yourself to be successful.
Why NEPA?
First off, I’m anchored here. I feel like my feet are in the ground. Aside from my family, aside from coming up here, I think that I’ve kind of laid out some markings for myself here and I would love to see those seeds germinate and come up. I’d like to see what I’ve planted here grow.
