“Be the change you wish to see in the world;” the philosophy that continues to help the world go round. You see, without this famous quote made by Mahatma Gandhi, the world in which we live in would be stagnant and remain as such. People who challenge the status quo for the greater good are prime examples of being the change that they wanted to see. So, when it comes to seeing black men in schools, I, similarly to historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi himself, realized that there was no better person than myself to be the difference. From kindergarten up to high school, I have always appreciated unfamiliar information. Even now, I love learning new things and being able to take that information and help others with it. Being a ‘gifted,’ young, black boy growing up in a low-income household, learning new things, and sharing them was my idea of a fun time. Whether I was learning something from a school or life lesson, I am was ready to learn. Sometimes the lessons would hurt and other times they would bring me joy, but I understood then that emotions are a part of learning the most important thing— yourself. Special teachers that I've held close to my heart throughout my education helped me understand that and played a major role in influencing my decision to become a teacher. In high school, I held several leadership roles in which it was crucial for me to understand how to communicate and help others. Being in student council, a sports team captain, and a choir section leader, for a couple of examples, all played factors in building my ability, confidence, and enjoyment in giving others guidance. These roles required me to be there for my classmates and teammates in many ways. One day I would be there to help a friend like I was their teacher, helping them with an assignment. The next, I would be by their side like a brother giving them a shoulder to cry on and an ear to vent to. The diverse ways that I have helped others throughout my life has helped me learn that being someone that people feel they can go to for help knows no limits. Undoubtedly, teachers understand this feeling. They know that being a ‘good’ teacher means going beyond the bounds given to them every day for their students. I have found that after living the life that I have lived, being a teacher is the perfect path for me. For years I have been taking on the job of a teacher without realizing it. I was so lucky to get the teachers that I did throughout the years because they showed me what a good teacher looks like. Many black young men did not get as lucky as I did. If they were to have a teacher that looked like them, they would be able to enjoy the fruits of understanding themselves— and a good education.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world;” the philosophy that continues to help the world go round. You see, without this famous quote made by Mahatma Gandhi, the world in which we live in would be stagnant and remain as such. People who challenge the status quo for the greater good are prime examples of being the change that they wanted to see. So, when it comes to seeing black men in schools, I, similarly to historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi himself, realized that there was no better person than myself to be the difference. From kindergarten up to high school, I have always appreciated unfamiliar information. Even now, I love learning new things and being able to take that information and help others with it. Being a ‘gifted,’ young, black boy growing up in a low-income household, learning new things, and sharing them was my idea of a fun time. Whether I was learning something from a school or life lesson, I am was ready to learn. Sometimes the lessons would hurt and other times they would bring me joy, but I understood then that emotions are a part of learning the most important thing— yourself. Special teachers that I've held close to my heart throughout my education helped me understand that and played a major role in influencing my decision to become a teacher. In high school, I held several leadership roles in which it was crucial for me to understand how to communicate and help others. Being in student council, a sports team captain, and a choir section leader, for a couple of examples, all played factors in building my ability, confidence, and enjoyment in giving others guidance. These roles required me to be there for my classmates and teammates in many ways. One day I would be there to help a friend like I was their teacher, helping them with an assignment. The next, I would be by their side like a brother giving them a shoulder to cry on and an ear to vent to. The diverse ways that I have helped others throughout my life has helped me learn that being someone that people feel they can go to for help knows no limits. Undoubtedly, teachers understand this feeling. They know that being a ‘good’ teacher means going beyond the bounds given to them every day for their students. I have found that after living the life that I have lived, being a teacher is the perfect path for me. For years I have been taking on the job of a teacher without realizing it. I was so lucky to get the teachers that I did throughout the years because they showed me what a good teacher looks like. Many black young men did not get as lucky as I did. If they were to have a teacher that looked like them, they would be able to enjoy the fruits of understanding themselves— and a good education.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world;” the philosophy that continues to help the world go round. You see, without this famous quote made by Mahatma Gandhi, the world in which we live in would be stagnant and remain as such. People who challenge the status quo for the greater good are prime examples of being the change that they wanted to see. So, when it comes to seeing black men in schools, I, similarly to historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi himself, realized that there was no better person than myself to be the difference. From kindergarten up to high school, I have always appreciated unfamiliar information. Even now, I love learning new things and being able to take that information and help others with it. Being a ‘gifted,’ young, black boy growing up in a low-income household, learning new things, and sharing them was my idea of a fun time. Whether I was learning something from a school or life lesson, I am was ready to learn. Sometimes the lessons would hurt and other times they would bring me joy, but I understood then that emotions are a part of learning the most important thing— yourself. The teachers that I hold close to my heart helped me understand that. In high school, I held several leadership roles in which it was crucial for me to understand how to communicate and help others. Being in student council, a sports team captain, and a choir section leader, for example, all played factors in building my ability, confidence, and enjoyment in giving others guidance. These roles required me to be there for my classmates and teammates in many ways. One day I would act as someone’s teacher helping them with an assignment and the next, I would be their brother giving them a shoulder to cry on and an ear to vent to. The diverse ways that I have helped others throughout my life has helped me learn that being someone that people feel they can go to for help knows no limits. Teachers understand this feeling. They know that being a ‘good’ teacher means going beyond the bounds given to them every day for their students. I have found that after living the life that I have lived, being a teacher is the perfect path for me. For years I have been taking on the job of a teacher without realizing it. I was so lucky to get the teachers that I did throughout the years because they showed me what a good teacher looks like. Many black young men did not get as lucky as I did. If they were to have a teacher that looked like them, they would be able to enjoy the fruits of understanding themselves— and a good education.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world;” the philosophy that continues to help the world go round. You see, without this famous quote made by Mahatma Gandhi, the world in which we live in would be stagnant and remain as such. People who challenge the status quo for the greater good are prime examples of being the change that they wanted to see. So, when it comes to seeing black men in schools, I, similarly to historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi himself, realized that there was no better person than myself to be the difference. From kindergarten up to high school, I have always appreciated unfamiliar information. Even now, I love learning new things and being able to take that information and help others with it. Being a ‘gifted,’ young, black boy growing up in a low-income household, learning new things, and sharing them was my idea of a fun time. Whether I was learning something from a school or life lesson, I am was ready to learn. Sometimes the lessons would hurt and other times they would bring me joy, but I understood then that emotions are a part of learning the most important thing— yourself. The teachers that I hold close to my heart helped me understand that. In high school, I held several leadership roles in which it was crucial for me to understand how to communicate and help others. Being in student council, a sports team captain, and a choir section leader, for example, all played factors in building my ability, confidence, and enjoyment in giving others guidance. These roles required me to be there for my classmates and teammates in many ways. One day I would act as someone’s teacher helping them with an assignment and the next, I would be their brother giving them a shoulder to cry on and an ear to vent to. The diverse ways that I have helped others throughout my life has helped me learn that being someone that people feel they can go to for help knows no limits. Teachers understand this feeling. They know that being a ‘good’ teacher means going beyond the bounds given to them every day for their students. I have found that after living the life that I have lived, being a teacher is the perfect path for me. For years I have been taking on the job of a teacher without realizing it. I was so lucky to get the teachers that I did throughout the years because they showed me what a good teacher looks like. Many black young men did not get as lucky as I did. If they were to have a teacher that looked like them, they would be able to enjoy the fruits of understanding themselves— and a good education.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world;” the philosophy that continues to help the world go round. You see, without this famous quote made by Mahatma Gandhi, the world in which we live in would be stagnant and remain as such. People who challenge the status quo for the greater good are prime examples of being the change that they wanted to see. So, when it comes to seeing black men in schools, I, similarly to historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi himself, realized that there was no better person than myself to be the difference. From kindergarten up to high school, I have always appreciated unfamiliar information. Even now, I love learning new things and being able to take that information and help others with it. Being a ‘gifted,’ young, black boy growing up in a low-income household, learning new things, and sharing them was my idea of a fun time. Whether I was learning something from a school or life lesson, I am was ready to learn. Sometimes the lessons would hurt and other times they would bring me joy, but I understood then that emotions are a part of learning the most important thing— yourself. The teachers that I hold close to my heart helped me understand that. In high school, I held several leadership roles in which it was crucial for me to understand how to communicate and help others. Being in student council, a sports team captain, and a choir section leader, for example, all played factors in building my ability, confidence, and enjoyment in giving others guidance. These roles required me to be there for my classmates and teammates in many ways. One day I would act as someone’s teacher helping them with an assignment and the next, I would be their brother giving them a shoulder to cry on and an ear to vent to. The diverse ways that I have helped others throughout my life has helped me learn that being someone that people feel they can go to for help knows no limits. Teachers understand this feeling. They know that being a ‘good’ teacher means going beyond the bounds given to them every day for their students. I have found that after living the life that I have lived, being a teacher is the perfect path for me. For years I have been taking on the job of a teacher without realizing it. I was so lucky to get the teachers that I did throughout the years because they showed me what a good teacher looks like. Many black young men did not get as lucky as I did. If they were to have a teacher that looked like them, they would be able to enjoy the fruits of understanding themselves— and a good education.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world;” the philosophy that continues to help the world go round. You see, without this famous quote made by Mahatma Gandhi, the world in which we live in would be stagnant and remain as such. People who challenge the status quo for the greater good are prime examples of being the change that they wanted to see. So, when it comes to seeing black men in schools, I, similarly to historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi himself, realized that there was no better person than myself to be the difference. From kindergarten up to high school, I have always appreciated unfamiliar information. Even now, I love learning new things and being able to take that information and help others with it. Being a ‘gifted,’ young, black boy growing up in a low-income household, learning new things, and sharing them was my idea of a fun time. Whether I was learning something from a school or life lesson, I am was ready to learn. Sometimes the lessons would hurt and other times they would bring me joy, but I understood then that emotions are a part of learning the most important thing— yourself. The teachers that I hold close to my heart helped me understand that. In high school, I held several leadership roles in which it was crucial for me to understand how to communicate and help others. Being in student council, a sports team captain, and a choir section leader, for example, all played factors in building my ability, confidence, and enjoyment in giving others guidance. These roles required me to be there for my classmates and teammates in many ways. One day I would act as someone’s teacher helping them with an assignment and the next, I would be their brother giving them a shoulder to cry on and an ear to vent to. The diverse ways that I have helped others throughout my life has helped me learn that being someone that people feel they can go to for help knows no limits. Teachers understand this feeling. They know that being a ‘good’ teacher means going beyond the bounds given to them every day for their students. I have found that after living the life that I have lived, being a teacher is the perfect path for me. For years I have been taking on the job of a teacher without realizing it. I was so lucky to get the teachers that I did throughout the years because they showed me what a good teacher looks like. Many black young men did not get as lucky as I did. If they were to have a teacher that looked like them, they would be able to enjoy the fruits of understanding themselves— and a good education.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world;” the philosophy that continues to help the world go round. You see, without this famous quote made by Mahatma Gandhi, the world in which we live in would be stagnant and remain as such. People who challenge the status quo for the greater good are prime examples of being the change that they wanted to see. So, when it comes to seeing black men in schools, I, similarly to historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi himself, realized that there was no better person than myself to be the difference. From kindergarten up to high school, I have always appreciated unfamiliar information. Even now, I love learning new things and being able to take that information and help others with it. Being a ‘gifted,’ young, black boy growing up in a low-income household, learning new things, and sharing them was my idea of a fun time. Whether I was learning something from a school or life lesson, I am was ready to learn. Sometimes the lessons would hurt and other times they would bring me joy, but I understood then that emotions are a part of learning the most important thing— yourself. The teachers that I hold close to my heart helped me understand that. In high school, I held several leadership roles in which it was crucial for me to understand how to communicate and help others. Being in student council, a sports team captain, and a choir section leader, for example, all played factors in building my ability, confidence, and enjoyment in giving others guidance. These roles required me to be there for my classmates and teammates in many ways. One day I would act as someone’s teacher helping them with an assignment and the next, I would be their brother giving them a shoulder to cry on and an ear to vent to. The diverse ways that I have helped others throughout my life has helped me learn that being someone that people feel they can go to for help knows no limits. Teachers understand this feeling. They know that being a ‘good’ teacher means going beyond the bounds given to them every day for their students. I have found that after living the life that I have lived, being a teacher is the perfect path for me. For years I have been taking on the job of a teacher without realizing it. I was so lucky to get the teachers that I did throughout the years because they showed me what a good teacher looks like. Many black young men did not get as lucky as I did. If they were to have a teacher that looked like them, they would be able to enjoy the fruits of understanding themselves— and a good education.