Community is Everything by Avery

Community is Everything by Avery - July 2024 Scholarship Essay

If I’ve learned anything this past year it’s the power of community. As I prepare to leave for college, I feel just how impactful mine was. “It takes a village to raise a child” is not just a cliche, it’s a fact. What this phrase forgets, is that adults need a village too. It’s your “village”, that celebrates your successes, mourns your losses with you, and lifts you back up. You are the company you keep, and they can either make or break you. A good community is a good life in my opinion, and a community is worth more than money when you have a good one.
This weekend I had my trunk party. If you are unaware, a trunk party is similar to a baby shower, where your family and friends gather with gifts to prepare you for college. Overwhelmed with appreciation, I still need to process the large collection of gifts currently taking over my living room. My community showed up and showed out for me, and because of them, I have more peace going to college. They are ensuring I have a strong foundation for this next chapter in my life. Beyond the gifts, many took the time to give me handwritten notes bursting with advice. This community has watched me grow up, and in this important moment, stood up. I would not be as caring, gracious, patient, and driven as I am if it weren’t for the kind-hearted people who make up my community. My aunt has always reminded me to make personal decisions for me because I am the only one who has to live with them. An elder at my church and my former Sunday School teacher taught me that words have power, and to consistently speak life. My mom’s friend encourages me to stay persistent, never giving up too easily. These are people that have been in my ear my whole life and have filled me with nothing, but love. I am who I am because of them. Both good and bad days have been lifted because of them, and I am forever grateful for their guidance and support.
In the past four years, I have completed over 100 hours of free childcare. Childcare is expensive and more often than not, the people who need it the most, have the least disposable income. I began almost unintentionally, helping where I could. I quickly became immersed in showing these kids what they could accomplish in life and filling them with love. As an 18-year-old Black girl, I’m aware of the unfortunate and inevitable racism they’ll experience and wanted to be preemptive in letting them know that they are loved and beautiful, just as my community did for me. I also wanted to teach them that hard doesn’t mean impossible. It was hard going to school, working, babysitting, and volunteering, but it wasn’t impossible. Spotting silent “E”s for my kids is hard, but not impossible we just have to keep trying and learning along the way.
In closing, this season of transition has me reflecting greatly, and it becomes more apparent to me the joys of community. A child is moldable, so who they are surrounded by is imperative. My parents chose wisely and gave me a community I wouldn’t trade for the world. My community is helping send me to college. My community taught me about love, hard work, taking breaks, following my dreams, and much more. My community is my drive. Additionally, as an active member of my community, I’ve given back in childcare, tutoring, and helping wherever I can. Hoping only to repay some of that love and pass on the lessons taught. I wrote my history final on the importance of intergenerational spaces with inspiration drawing from my own life. The life they’ve given me is priceless and something that I truly value. When in unison a community can be unstoppable and the most loving place you’ll ever experience. However, I don’t want to sound ignorant in my approval. I understand that conversely, the wrong community can be nothing but abusive and demeaning. Many people go their entire lives never feeling loved or appreciated, only seen for what they can do, not who they are. I say this to say I love my community so deeply because I know what could have been, but what is, is beautiful. I am sad to let go as I go to college, but I know I’ll thrive because of the foundation they’ve given me.