Kade Lewin Scholarship

Coming from one of the underprivileged neighborhoods of New York City, Harlem; I knew how significant the topic of Gun Violence would be to myself , my family, my community, and my generation of peers. Tylek Allen, was a friend of mines, leader, inspiring football player and positive role model in my neighborhood. He was only 18 years old, an only child for his mother and he was killed in 2017, due to gun violence. Tylek was the varsity football player of his high school football team and inspired to study law at John Jay College after graduation. My mother and his mother were friends; therefore, this touched me to know he was gone, murdered, with no arrest. "In the U.S. each year, firearms kill almost 1,300 American youngsters; boys and black children are most often the victims." (Rapaport,L. 2017). The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution allows the “Right to bear arm,” but, what does this mean? Some people believe that the Amendment's phrase "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms" gives any individual a constitutional right to simply carry a gun if they choose. This creates a scary and horrifying image of the U.S. gun laws in the minds of many, including myself. In the United States guns are said to be more privately owned then in any other country. "Black Americans are disproportionately impacted by gun violence. They experience 10 times the gun homicides, 18 times the gun assault injuries, and nearly 3 times the fatal police shootings of white Americans." (everytownresearch.org, 2022) Several weeks ago, there was a mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas that killed 19 children and 2 teachers. This makes me think, if this can occur at an elementary school , “How safe will I be for the next four years at a college campus?” Congress has the ability and power to create and put into effect, stricter gun laws. After the Texas shooting, I have seen many advocates, celebrities and other individuals speak on the importance of changing and tightening the gun control laws in the U.S. However, the U.S. gun laws still remain the same. I believe that if there is no change in the U.S. gun laws, we will continues to grieve over many more incidents live lost of gun violence, unnecessary shootings, murders and homicides, not only in schools and underprivileged neighborhoods but in churches, your local daycare, your after school programs and anywhere else people of the public can be. In my senior year and as I matriculate through college, I want to continue to be an advocate to issues important to minorities and the African American communities. My goal is to encourage others to chase what they believe in, to be an example for others from my community. For this reason, is why, I am applying for this scholarship, to have a chance to prove who I can be, without the worries of cost. Many of my choices I have made in life are because I've had a vision of my future being better than where I am now. Therefore, I volunteer , mentor, and am a Navy junior R.O.T.C. cadet. All these decisions were my choice to become the best version of the future me. Some people have an opportunity to college without the burden of financial stress, I am here for a chance to be in the race. I want to create opportunities for others who look like me , empower, motivate and inspire others to know, the world is bigger than our 1,400 sq miles in Harlem.