Alexis Kendricks - Specialist LA County Fire Department

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🎙️ Blazing Trails and Breaking Norms — Episode: "A Fire Within: The Alexis Kendricks Story"

Presented by: African American Firefighters Museum
Host: Karen Slider
Guest: Alexis Kendricks, Fire Specialist, Los Angeles County Fire Department

Episode Summary:
In this powerful episode, host Karen Slider sits down with Fire Specialist Alexis Kendricks for an inspiring and candid conversation about resilience, representation, and redefining success as a Black woman in the fire service. From her early days as a college basketball star at the University of Georgia to playing professionally in Serbia, where she faced cultural shock and racial ignorance, Alexis shares the moments that shaped her.

We follow her journey from overseas courts to LA fire stations, highlighting how a chance encounter at a career fair sparked a new path of public service. Alexis opens up about overcoming the challenges of joining a male-dominated profession, the importance of mentorship, and her current mission to inspire the next generation through youth outreach like the Girls Fire Camp.

Key Topics:

• Cultural and racial experiences abroad as a Black woman athlete
• Transitioning from sports to firefighting
• The long road to joining the fire service post-recession
• Micro aggressions, mentorship, and staying the course
• Recruitment, representation, and empowering young women of color
• Alexis’s perspective on beauty, femininity, and strength in uniform
• Media portrayal of women firefighters and ideas for change

Quotes:

“Sometimes you just have to outwork everybody—when you don’t know everything, you show up and grind.” – Alexis Kendricks
“Even if they don’t become firefighters, at least they know they have options. That’s what we want our girls to see.”

Resources & Mentions:

• Girls Fire Camp (Ages 9–18): Learn more and register via the LA County Fire Department recruitment page.
• African American Firefighters Museum: Located at 1401 Central Ave, Los Angeles. Open Sundays 1–4 PM. Info: [phone].

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