Self Advocacy: Key to Success by Joshua

Self Advocacy: Key to Success by Joshua - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

As a current senior in Highschool, I am very interested in government/law, and wish to major in Political Science. I am also interested in disadvantaged communities and wish to continue to advocate for them throughout my life. However, to understand why I became interested in these careers, you have to understand what I experienced at my high school, and how I overcame unimaginable challenges.

As immigrants from Jamaica, my parents did not have many options. We did with what we had, and no one complained. They instilled their beliefs into me: hard work + dedication + ambition = success. Because of them, I’ve always had a passion for close-knit communities and been comfortable in diverse settings. I never knew what to do with this passion, however. When I first enrolled in my high school program, located in a wealthy suburban town, I envied my classmates. They had room for error in their lives and many options to choose from where I had few.

Throughout my education, I encountered careless questions like, “Are there gangs where you live?”, “Do you live in the hood?” and “Is the city...like safe?”. I sought comfort from my African-American peers, but they denied me, too. I was too effeminate and wasn’t “black” enough. These encounters shattered me, and I wept. "I wish I was white, then all my problems would go away," I said to myself. My school environment made me feel insignificant and detached from my roots. I struggled with my identity for a very long time. However, being a black male going to a predominantly white school in the suburbs lit a fire in me, and I finally realized what to do with my passion. I collaborated intensively with my two best friends, and started a club called “Helping Hands”.

I created Helping Hands to get more students involved in not only their communities, but also in the communities around them. The club revolves around community service projects that help disadvantaged neighborhoods. We have helped everywhere from nursing homes to soup kitchens to daycare centers in need. We targeted Boston and its surrounding neighborhoods. This was my city, and it hurt to know that my peers at school saw it in a negative light. I traveled back and forth from the city to the suburbs everyday. The differences between my home and the community where my school was located were drastic. My neighborhood consisted of small houses, constricted land, and majority low- to barely middle-class families. Although these environmental differences were drastic, the people in the each place were ultimately the same. I strongly believe that my club breaks these social barriers and encourages all students to learn and embrace diversity in their interactions.

I was nervous at first because I didn’t know if people would ever want to join a club like mine. I feared that people would assume that I was trying to push my culture and beliefs on them. The day of the club fair, however, many people showed interest in my club and signed up. Standing there in front of my club sign, I realized that other people wanted the same thing as me, but couldn’t find a way to express themselves. So, my passion became the fire that lit their way. The club has exceeded my hopes and brought my different communities together.

So, what is my message? What do I want younger students to take away from my story? Well, as I am about to graduate, I have thoroughly reflected on my high school experience. I’ve learned that my most successful attribute in high school was to self-advocate for myself. I did this through creating a club, which represented my voice that was being dismissed over and over again. There will be many situations in life where someone will not believe in you or maybe they will disrespect an aspect of your culture. People face situations like that everyday, however, many do not know how to approach the situation. The first step is to speak up. Speaking up allows for your voice to be heard. High school wasn’t always a smooth ride for me. I faced a lot of ignorant comments and discouragement, but learned to help myself, and consequently educated others while doing so. All you have to do is speak up, and like my experience, you will find people who want the same. I can’t imagine how much I would have transformed as a student if I didn’t advocate for myself. Self-advocacy is the key to success!