All my life I’ve been told stories about her. Her strength, wittyness, kindness, and tenacity. Creating a legacy for herself and encouraging greatness in those around her. My grandmother, Annie Lucy Williams, was a trailblazer in her community, and without ever meeting her, she is someone who’s characteristics I have always aspired to emulate. Annie Lucy Williams was born in Lake City, Florida, in 1908. She was the 10th child out of 11 brothers and sisters. Her father was a minister and undertaker. Her mother was a full-time homemaker. Breaking bounds for this time, my great-grandfather ensured his children received education. Annie Lucy went to Bethune-Cookman College and eventually graduated from Florida A&M College (which later became a university). She received her Bachelors in Elementary Education, as black woman, during a time where less than 1.6% of black people in general even attended college. She went on to teach in Manatee County, Florida for over 40 years. She taught all grades during this time. In addition to this, she taught swimming in the summers, coached softball, and was the assistant director of the local recreational center. During World War II, she even coached the boys football team as the men were sent to war! She was also a Red Cross volunteer. My grandmother was a hard-worker; a force to be reckoned with. Someone once made a joke that the only time she missed school days was to protest Florida Governor Claude Kirk. The first time was during the 1968 Teacher’s Strike. She would protest again in 1970, due to the illegal segregation still present in Manatee County. In addition to all of this, Annie Lucy was an amazing wife and mother. She raised 3 children, including my father, all of whom went on to attain a higher education. She wasn’t just a mother to her biological children though, her nurturing extended to all. My father would tell me how he became accustomed to random children sitting at the dinner table with them, as she never denied a meal to those in need. In 2006, Manatee County School District honored Mrs. Annie Lucy Williams, with an elementary school named after her. For some of my childhood, I regarded her as someone reminiscent of a folk-legend. I believed that she had to have had some “mystical powers” that encouraged her good, hard-working, and fruitful nature. I didn’t think it was possible that I could ever have such an impact on others. Thankfully, I’ve grown out of this mindset, and I work towards making her and my father proud. I don’t put much emphasis on the impact I might have on others, I try to just focus on being an altruistic and kind person. Following in her footsteps. I currently work in education and I plan to continue this. My grandmother, Annie Lucy Williams will forever inspire me because she paved a way for my life in more ways than one and took care of the community around her along the way.

We live during a time period in which more people are afforded the luxury of travel than ever before. It’s a blessing. Yet, also something that I’ve found people take for granted. I have felt the need to explore the world around me in my spirit ever since I was a little girl. The culture, tradition, and history of various places around the globe has always piqued my interest. Which is why as a young adult, I am honoring that little girl by studying Anthropology. At its simplest, anthropology is the study of humanity and cultures. Originally, I started off as a history major, but I pivoted to anthropology after realizing that cultures (not just events,) provide the context for our current world. Though I would love to, I have never traveled outside of my own country. But, my studies of other cultures and perspectives have most definitely aided in my personal development this year. This past spring semester I took a course on the Ancient Incas. Studying such a vast, complex, and innovative society was nothing short of fascinating. The Incas had an empire that peaked at around 12 million. It was nearly 800,000 square miles in size. Though large, the empire was also incredibly organized, with standardized construction techniques, infrastructure design, and even a data collection system. All of this was done without wheels, metallurgy, or written language! Though a lot of their accomplishments have been squandered by the greed of others, their descendants still preserve their language, food, and aspects of culture. More than plain fascination, learning about this innovative and resilient group of people broadened my understanding of what humanity can accomplish. It has inspired me to seriously take up learning Spanish, so I can take my studies to Latin America and learn more about the indigenous people there. In addition to this, learning in depth about a culture that is so intrinsically different from my own has truly ignited something indescribable in my spirit. I have such reverence for their culture and genuinely feel connected to them. I’ve gained so much understanding from simply reading books and following lectures. I cannot fathom how much more one could learn and connect by presently experiencing another’s culture through travel. There is truly so much we can learn from one another. The depth of this world cannot be reached within one place. Only through interconnected experiences all over the globe could we ever understand the gravity of mankind. Travel is essential to developing a broader sense of self and the world.

It was after church service and I was 10 years old. There I sat writing my name on the sign-up sheet in blue ink, not knowing that this decision would change my life forever. My church had been advertising a summer-volunteering-sleepaway camp in a city just 30 minutes away from me. The city, Belle Glade, is positioned as the furthest west city in my county. It’s the 2nd most impoverished city in Florida. And yet, like a cruel joke, it’s juxtaposed within the same county as the richest city in Florida, Palm Beach. During my time at camp, we ate good food, played games, and sang beautiful worship songs. But, nothing impacted me more than the experience of working with others for the betterment of the community. During my 4 day stint as a volunteer, I realized my privilege. But, this was more than just a realization. I knew that those with privilege were called to help those less fortunate than them (Proverbs 19:17). So, I was determined to serve again. My church had a Life Academy Program in Belle Glade. This was a program that was held after-school on weekdays for academic help, but Saturdays were a time for spiritual enrichment and recreation! My mom, my sister, and I began going out every Saturday to volunteer with the children. We were committed. It was very rare that we missed a Saturday. My mom even drove the van to bring out other volunteers! Though I was around the same age as some of the children, I still tried my hardest to help out. One of my most cherished memories from my time here was all of the volunteers and children coming together to read John 13:1-19, where Jesus washes His disciples' feet. After this, we came together to wash the children’s feet, a way to signify our servanthood. I left that Saturday afternoon feeling humbled, but not at all in a negative way. I knew that I wanted to live the rest of my life serving others. I served in Belle Glade on Saturdays for 4 years. Sadly, there is no longer a program on Saturdays, but I’ve made sure to volunteer during the past summers and Thanksgiving dinners. Spending my time there opened my eyes to the often harsh reality faced by those in poverty. What struck me as the most devastating was the disparity in education, specifically the literacy rate. Many of the children across all grades could not read. Neither could their parents. Or their grandparents! The generational cycle of illiteracy saddened my heart, and I could not fathom how much harder it made existence. Education had always been emphasized in my life, but it wasn’t until my last few Belle Glade Saturdays that I had decided that I wanted to work in education. I understood that positively impacting even one student could be a catalyst for change in a community. Fast forward to now, and I have been working as a 1st grade Co-Teacher in an environment quite similar to Belle Glade since August. While in this role I’ve seen firsthand the power of receiving a good education. I have had the privilege of seeing my students grow, not only academically, but also in their confidence and personality! It is truly beautiful to witness. I’m incredibly excited to have my own classroom someday soon. My experiences in Belle Glade revealed to me a truth: Education has the potential to uplift or degrade. This truth is a driving force for me, as I am determined to use education as a tool to uplift.

I envision my future self as a woman with tenacity who never allows the woe of life to beat her down, a woman who nurtures all those around her in need, and a woman who spreads love specifically through the gift of education.