You know the moon has many phases; each one different than the last. Throughout all the changes it still takes its form, shining bright in a dark sky above the world amongst all the stars. My journey has led me to admire the moon in a new light. Ever since I was young, I’ve been very ambitious and craved to be self-sufficient.
At the age of eight years old, I’ve grown to know how cruel the world actually can be; Earle Stem Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois was the start of it all. Being one of the few Black students amongst all the white ones, I’ve had my life threatened, been bullied and chased just because of the color of my skin. Some days I would run home crying, trying to escape the fear of being beaten to death, or shot with all the gang violence in the neighborhood. It was truly hell on earth. All I had was my grandparents; my mother was deceased, and my father was the cause of it, something I witnessed when I was only one and half years of age. Even with the passing of my mother, I experienced adversity in places where I just wanted to be loved and protected. Hearing the doubt, being taken advantage of, and experiencing harm created a bittersweet drive in me to do better. These experiences taught me toughness and how I should treat the people I care about, because now I know what not to do. For that I am thankful, despite the hardships I have endured. For most of my life, money struggles have been common and expected, just trying to keep a roof over our heads. I don’t want that for myself and for my legacy, and I refuse to be in this position ever again. So, I work hard to make sure that I won’t have to go through this for the rest of my life. Graduating high school was a priority, and now going to college will enable me to take my future by wheel and drive it all the way.
Although my family support was not the best, there have been counselors and teachers who have helped change the course of my life and have shown up in extraordinary ways to support me. I consider these people my family and I can truly say I love them and care about them so much that if they ever need me, I will be here for them no matter what. My boss from my first job in Spokane showed me so much by not giving up on me. These people I consider my community; they have done so much to lift me up and to become who I am today, and I can’t thank them enough. I will honor them by giving back to my people. I want to help people who have gone through losing their parents by making the world a safe place for them. I want to start my own foster home in the future. I want to help all those kids find the love and care that they are missing. I will start with college and study forensic science and law enforcement so that I can provide evidence that will bring criminals to justice. This will bring me a step closer to being a forensic pathologist.
To all the people younger than me, the advice I want to pass down to you is: “if you’re not going to do it, it’ll never get done.” Don’t wait for someone to hand you the answers, you have to find it yourself sometimes. That doesn’t mean you have to do it by yourself, but you have to be the one to initiate; people who want to see you succeed will help you along the way. If you can’t do that it’s ok to start small. Think of something you really want and come up with three different ways to get it. Trust me it will take you far, there is usually more than one right answer.
The one year I spent in Spokane changed my whole outlook on life and my family. I was able to make a lot more friends and I got to see people who are like me. I experienced things that I never thought I would’ve otherwise, such as being put on the front page of the school district website or being given a chance to be a representative on the school board. I’ve gotten to be a part of huge events and fundraisers and social/cultural movements for both the Black community and the LGBTQIA+ community too. Again, thank you to all of those who have helped me through it all, I’ve found a home and community there in Spokane.
To all the educators out there, as a graduate, I would like to say know that all your students come from different backgrounds and are all at different levels. Helping your students or even doing something as simple as bringing donuts for your class can change their whole day. Take some time to get to know your students, even the ones who are always smiling because sometimes they’re hurting the most. Be mindful of what you say and crack a joke sometimes, even if it’s bad, students don’t want to be in a class if the teacher doesn’t even want to be there.
I will be attending Central Washington University. Going to the campus for the first time sent chills down my spine, because I knew that this was the start of me changing my future. I can do all the things I’ve dreamed about starting here. I can’t explain how happy and ecstatic seeing it all made me but now that I’ve gotten to this point, I’m going to get my bachelor’s degree, study French, and seek out internships to gain professional connections. The thing that is going to keep me grounded is focusing on my mental and physical health. How am I going to progress if I don’t take care of myself?
This is my moon cycle. Even if there are some days I don’t feel as full or motivated, that’s ok because I can always change and become the full moon in the sky. Even the dark parts of the moon find a way to shine.