It finally clicked for me that completing my degree was a stepping stone to help me make a difference in the lives of young people . That was all the fuel I needed to see it through .
It finally clicked for me that completing my degree was a stepping stone to help me make a difference in the lives of young people . That was all the fuel I needed to see it through .
At UC Santa Cruz , I made friends quickly and I got involved in everything . I petitioned to start a Black Men ’ s Alliance ( which is still thriving today ), interned at the Women ’ s Center , joined the rugby team , and directed a play about Hurricane Katrina .
Then , my life pivoted in a way I never expected — in a way that would affirm my purpose forever . My younger cousin , Davante , looked up to me , so when I started school I made it a point to show him what college was all about . I would bring him and his best friend to campus regularly and they stayed with me in the dorms . One night before Davante ’ s birthday , I texted him but I didn ’ t get a response . The next morning , I woke up to learn that Davante had been shot and killed .
I never had a moment to grieve when I went back to campus . I didn ’ t care about finishing school anymore . I ’ d completely lost sight of my motivation to graduate . With the support of campus advisors and my College Track family , I was able to keep going . I remember countless conversations with my mentor , reminding me of the future I had ahead of me , and how much Davante would have wanted me to continue .
It finally clicked for me that completing my degree was a stepping stone to help me make a difference in the lives of young people . That was all the fuel I needed to see it through .
Today , as a Homeless Youth Liaison for the Santa Clara County Office of Education , I advocate for families whose voices often go unheard . In any given week , I will look for a student who hasn ’ t shown up to school , connect families to shelters , or buy bus passes and clothes for students living out of cars or on the street .
I always tell my students that the world is bigger than one city . They can live a life past the hustle , past what the media portrays , and sometimes even how they ’ re labeled by adults .
This fall , I started a master ’ s program in Public Administration at San Jose State University . I ’ m committed to learning about the systems and policies we need to change in order to honor our young people and communities . And , I believe in a world where we all take part in that change together .
Losing him made me reflect on teen gun violence , and how youth are growing up in a troubled society , and yet they are labeled as troubled youth .
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