Demetrius Mack Pay It Forward Memorial Scholarship

What would you do if tomorrow you lost it all? Think about it. Have you ever contemplated that question? If not, you’re most likely leading a successful life or have not been in a predicament to make you feel the need to have to ask that question. Many do not attempt to put themselves in the position to even consider that question. No, it is not solely based on the inability to put yourself in someone’s shoes, however some become so high on life that it simply never crosses their mind. Yet, what people fail to realize is that just because you’re in a successful position currently does not mean you’re going to stay there. Since a young age I have been taught to help people in need. Not because I expected something in return but because the actions of assisting someone is from the goodness of my heart. It never was an issue for me to help someone because I was fortunate enough to always have somebody who was willing to help me. Not until I reached the first grade, that I became invested in philanthropy. One project changed my whole outlook on the welfare of others. Though I do not remember specifically what the prompt for the project was, I do remember vividly what I built. With help from my father, I created a house made of popsicle sticks that was inspired by Habitat for Humanity. Since Habitat for Humanity is an organization that improves housing environments, I was excited to present it to the class. I was always deemed as quiet (I’d like to call it observant) so once I finally got the opportunity to speak I ran with it. After awhile I stopped reading from the script and spoke on my own account to why I felt like it was important to help people in need. I went on for so long my teacher said she hated to cut me off, however we had to give the other students a turn. She pulled me to the side and expressed how proud she was of me for coming out of my shell. From that point on, I became dedicated to find ways to benefit the life of others. According to Google, pay it forward means “respond to a person's kindness to oneself by being kind to someone else”. But what happens when no one is kind to you? Does that obligate you to stop being kind to someone else? To me, paying something forward does not have to be in response to someone else’s kindness. If no one has displayed compassion to me, it is not going to change the way I treat people. Seeing how I can influence another life for the better is the goal. Not for the likes on social media or a pat on the back. In my life, my mother has inspired me to live life without seeking for an award. She was the one who taught me to do good even when no one is watching. It is not necessary to be recognized for every little good deed due to the fact that all attention is not good attention. Living by those words have driven me to want to improve my community. Not only from a local standpoint but on a wider scale as well. I hope to educate people on my views and push for everyone to strive to do good without looking for a congratulations. By doing so, I strongly believe this will improve the interconnectedness within the nation that it has been so desperately needing since the time of its “founding”. I want to tackle issues such as homelessness, racial injustice, and educational attainment (or lack thereof) in marginalized communities. I want to speak on behalf of underserved people because they deserve success just as much as the next person. Environments or financial status should not discourage somebody from pursuing what they want to do in life. I want to be able to find ways to prevent homelessness by finding housing spaces to get them off the streets. I also propose to develop extracurricular activities and/or programs for adolescents to keep them engaged and out of trouble. In the words of my mother, “remain humble because your life can change in an instant”. I believe everybody can learn something from these words. Not just because my mother is a smart woman but because it ties back to the phrase of “pay it forward”. Being humble does not always have to mean being unassertive, but being wise enough to put your pride aside. Doing so can enable you to help someone without trying to protect a certain “image”. Therefore, off of the strength of my integrity I will continue to assist people in anyway I can.