To whom it may concern: The American Civil Rights Movement tends to bring to people's minds Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and the Black Panthers. Not as buzzworthy, but just as important to the movement, Amelia Boynton Robinson and Samuel William Boynton should be up there with the other names. While not as well known, they were just as integral and important to the movement. They both graduated from the Tuskegee Institute and married after in Selma, Alabama. They joined, and eventually let the Selma Chapter of the Dallas County's Voter League, advocating for voting and economic rights. The League helped African Americans register to vote despite the discriminatory practices and danger. Sam and Amelia took risks and worked hard to safe-guard the advancements they were able to make such as opening their own insurance agency to eliminate job retaliation. Their philosophy was economic advancement would help combat and overcome discrimination. Voting was the key to that advancement in their eyes, and worked hard to offer clinics and meetings to accomplish their goals while fighting against local leadership. If they could vote, they could replace those who were segregationists. They even went so far as to testify against the abuses of power. Although Sam passed away in 1963, Amelia kept the movement going. She organized voter registration drives, and the monthly meetings turned into weekly meetings with hundreds of people attending. The meetings turned into demonstrations. There were sit-ins and eventually marches. The local law enforcement were reactionary and retaliated in violent ways, but it did not deter the movement. Amelia gained strength, so much so that she was the first African American female to run for office in Alabama as well as the first female Democratic Party ticket nominee in Alabama. Through her and her comrades work, the Black registered voting population of Selma rose from 300 to 11,000 by 1966. She was a main figure with King in the the march that became known as "Bloody Sunday" where we was beaten unconscious. The picture of her lying unconscious in Edmund Pettus Bridge's arms was seen around the world. Amelia continued her advocacy work the rest of her long life before passing away in 2015 at 104 years old. The story of Amelia and Samuel Boynton and others in the Civil Rights Movement have inspired me to be in education. As an educator, I have the ability to mold young minds for the better. I strongly believe representation matters, and for my students to see a female woman of color as their teacher is vital. I present myself to be strong, well-spoken, fierce, and motivated. I teach in a predominately white school and state (Montana). The students of color that are in my class have an ally and someone who understands them. I am very politically involved, so they also get to see me use my voice to advocate for change. I spoke at the Black Lives Matter Rally at the courthouse of my city. I run for leadership positions in my local and state unions. I will continue to be the representation that I know I did not receive growing up here and hope to be a good role model as I continue teaching.