UA Little Rock Alumna Selected for Induction into Arkansas Latino Hall of Fame
UA Little Rock alumna Lisette Yang has been honored as a member of the first class of the Arkansas Latino Hall of Fame, recognized for her exceptional contributions to better the Latino community since 1997 and for her work as a crime victim advocate and child forensic interviewer.
She will join three other extraordinary individuals as they are inducted into the inaugural Arkansas Latino Hall of Fame Oct. 24, celebrating the remarkable achievements of Latinos who have significantly contributed to the cultural, economic, and social tapestry of Arkansas.
“It feels great to be recognized for this effort, but I couldn’t have done this without the support of my husband, son, friends, and colleagues,” Yang said. “I also feel like this honor is more for my mom than me. Since she unconsciously put me on this path, this award is for the both of us.”
Yang’s mother, Alicia Uribe González, was married but her husband left her to raise her three-month old triplets by herself (Ivette, Anette, and Lisette). She devoted her life to working as a clinical psychologist and crime profiler in Guadalajara, Mexico. She retired in 2011 and then passed away in 2012, ironically on the same day when a celebration was planned to honor her 40-year career.
“I always used to say that I never wanted to do what my mom did, but that’s exactly what I ended up doing,” Yang said. “It’s sad that my mom never got the recognition she deserved for her career. She’s the person I recognize because it was her who put me on this career path.”
Yang started her work as a crime victim advocate in 2005 at the nonprofit Safe Places, which was starting a new victim services program for the Latino community in Little Rock. She became the first Latino victim advocate in the state of Arkansas, where she assisted over 2,500 Latino and international crime victims from countries around the world.
“I became an advocate for people in domestic violence, human trafficking, in all kinds of situations,” Yang said. “When you are an advocate for someone who can’t communicate, you become their everything. The most important thing was not necessarily communication but getting them the assistance and services they needed like shelter, orders of protection, protection visas, and food stamps. It was an intense job, but I loved making a difference in people’s lives.”
In 2012, she joined the Children’s Protection Center, a child advocacy center in Pulaski County, as its first bilingual child forensic interviewer and served as an advocate for some of their Spanish-speaking clients. She was later promoted to lead/senior forensic interviewer, where she interviewed more than 7,000 children/teens and became an expert witness and a mentor for less experienced forensic interviewers. Her groundbreaking work has made a lasting impact on both the Latino community and the broader field of forensic science.
While Yang holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising and graphic design from Mexico, she started at UA Little Rock in 1998, originally studying engineering. She returned to UA Little Rock in 2020 with a new major and graduated in 2022.
“I originally left UA Little Rock in the early 2000s when I moved to another job for the Pulaski County United Way and then in 2002, I had to stay home a few years to care for my premature child,” Yang said. “In 2020, I decided to go back and finish what I started. I knew my degree would open doors. I was working as a forensic interviewer at the time, so I changed my degree completely to interdisciplinary studies, which allowed me to concentrate in criminal justice, psychology, and Spanish. The interdisciplinary studies program matches what I’m doing, and it turned out to be great!”
Yang feels her degree has already brought her new opportunities in life. It was only one year after she graduated that she became the first bilingual Crime Victims Reparations Board administrator for the Arkansas Department of Public Safety. In this role, she oversees a staff of eight and administers two programs, the Crime Victims and the Sexual Assault programs.
“The Crime Victims Reparations Board gave me an award in 2011 for my advocacy work with crime victims, and now I am the administrator, so I really feel like I have come full circle,” Yang said.
Yang is grateful for the education she received at UA Little Rock. Looking back on her college journey, Yang has the following advice for college students at UA Little Rock to be successful.
“I think the best advice I gave my son, who is a college student right now, is to always study to learn, not to pass,” Yang said. “When you study to learn, you really learn. When you study to pass, you are just out for a grade. And you should always follow your passion. I’m a good example of how life can take you in a new direction. If you are devoted to life and follow your passion, people will take notice, and you will make your community and those around you better.”
