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SPOTLIGHTS
small beginnings
Big Endings P
aristamika “Paris” Valencia Owens is the first black woman to serve as Captain of the
Gainesville Police Department (GPD). On December 3, 2019 in a ceremony at GPD headquarters, hundreds of family members, friends, colleagues, and community leaders gathered to celebrate this moment in history. Actually, in this case - HERstory. In the weeks to follow social media was ablazed with photos, posts, and congratulations for the new captain. Remarks described Paris as consistent, fair, selfless, determined, committed, wonderful, loving, deserving, patient, stellar, forward moving, and progressive. -the posts boasting with compliments from childhood friends to leaders in the community went on for weeks. The consistent congratulatory note to Paris was, “You earned it!”. Overwhelmingly, it appeared that those who love, know, and respect Captain Owens believe that her hard work, tenacity, and dedication led her to this moment. Paris was raised by her mother and father in East Gainesville. Her immediate family included her three aunts, two sisters, and a younger brother. In this blended and loving family she learned responsibility, compromise, and the value of hopes and dreams. She describes her mother as being independent and demanding respect. SYNERGY MAGAZINE
Story by: Virginia Grant
“She didn’t play with us,” recalls Paris. But she also fondly remembers her mother’s softer side, her desire to please
for the role in policing the community but it naturally bleeds into the captain’s personal life as well. Hearkening
and make others happy. As children do, Owens observed her mother in action and appreciates the value of service that she picked up from her, it’s a key trait that she believes has propelled her to success. The gift of serving others is critical
qualities from her mother, Owens says, “I love to cook, because I love to make people happy. I love bringing a bowl of chili to someone and seeing their faces light up Paris learned to cook as a child, and even though she was raised in a two-parent home, both parents
