to say. Writing gives me the voice to say it.” While he found
a lot of support from his middle school and high school
teachers, Troy also connected with College Track during this
renaissance.
“I believe College Track has helped me grow to become
the person I am today,” says Troy. “It’s made me more
determined, driven, and motivated. I can say that if it wasn’t
for College Track, I wouldn’t be where I am right now.
Where is he now? The day he spoke to us for this story, Troy
was sitting in College Track’s Oakland headquarters, about
to wrap up his summer internship, which bridged both the
New Orleans and Oakland sites. Under his arm were the
anthologies his writing has appeared in. A few days later,
he was flying across the country to start his second year at
Bard College in upstate New York. From where he started –
displaced by Hurricane Katrina and unable to read at age
12 – the ground he’s made up is a testament to his resilience
and will. “The challenges I’ve overcome have made me
realize that pain is only for the moment, but quitting is
forever. So quitting is not actually an option.”
He credits College Track, with helping him win a full-ride
POSSE scholarship to attend Bard. “They really helped me
out with that,” he recalls. “I was one of only 20 students,
out of 659, to win.” He also feels that College Track steered
him toward a college that’s a great fit. “First of all, I love the
diversity at Bard,” says Troy. “Also, being a writer, I love the
mountainous area. Writers need a space to think and learn,
and Bard gives you that.”
When the opportunity to intern at College Track arose this
summer, Troy jumped at the chance. “It’s important for me
to give back to a program that supported me,” he says.
During his internship, Troy worked with students in College
Track’s new African American Male initiative. “I got the
chance to work with a group of African American students
with diverse perspectives,” says Troy. “I was able to teach
them African American history, discuss poverty and racial
issues, share important articles by black writers, and give
them information about people like Jean-Michel Basquiat.
The whole internship experience has made me realize
it’s much better to give than to