
“If I were to describe Mrs. Parsons in one sentence, I would say that she is someone who truly cares. She always had these gestures; at the end of fashion shows she would put a handwritten note inside my mailbox thanking me for my work with the students. She never forgot a birthday, she never forgot a Christmas time, she always made sure she made you feel that she cared, because she genuinely did. We used to go to New York for the CFDA meetings with all the universities of the United States; like FIT, Parsons, and Drexel… and being with her you could see that all these people knew who she was, and when you got there, she would introduce you to everybody, and she would speak highly of you to them that is the kind of person she is… Generous and caring.”
Nestor Camacho - Fashion Design Lead Faculty, Miami International University of Art & Design Tweet

“Mrs. Parsons is a rock in the Florida fashion industry. It is so much fun to go out with her because she gets stopped everywhere, she is like a celebrity. Even with the mask on she could not hide… And everyone that stops her, or calls her, she remembers. She will remember you, your name, and your story. It is remarkable”
LUIS APONTE - Fashion Designer, EDUCATOR and Miami International University of Art & Design Graduate Tweet

“I think that what we see is a reflection of the industry and a reflection of our times… And also, I see that a lot of fashion isn’t very glamorous anymore like it used to be… I think the ‘celebritism’ – if that is a word – has taken over”
Charlene Parsons Tweet

“Mrs. Parsons is someone who spent decades motivating students and making them fall in love with fashion. She succeeded in making them understand that fashion requires commitment, structure, work, training, dedication, and high standards. It is our responsibility to follow what she started, to continue her work and legacy. With each experience and success, I still think, ‘When I tell this to Mrs. Parsons, I know she will be proud of me.’ I want to make her proud. We all do.”
JUANITA CRARY - Fashion Stylist and Educator Tweet

“I am proud to have been able to introduce our students to well-known designers. I am most proud of having said ‘yes’ so many times, even when I didn’t know how we would be able to do what I was saying yes to.”
Charlene Parsons Tweet

“I always hear from everyone ‘be here now, be present, in the moment’. I heard people saying it, but I have never experienced someone doing it in the way she does it. When you talk to Mrs. Parsons, she is present; she is with you, and she will listen. It can be the craziest day, but if you need her to listen to you, she will because she wants to be present. Because she cares for what you have to say. She genuinely cares.”
Oscar Lopez - Fashion Department Chair, Miami International University of Art & Design Tweet
