Whether tutoring, collaborating with others on assignments, or informing peers about the “ins and outs” of school, I have always made a point of assisting others academically, as I hold educational prosperity as a significant value of mine. My value of educational prosperity stems from a story my mom told me of her father growing up. My maternal grandfather was born in the early 1920s on a plantation, where he worked for the majority of his early life. With his circumstances, my grandfather understood his only chance of a better life was through school, which led him to work for and complete his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in 6 years. Understanding the value of learning and teaching others, my grandfather became a professor and eventually the Dean of the Mass Communication Department at Southern A&M University- the very university that nurtured his post-secondary educational journey. Hearing my grandfather’s story molded my childhood passion for learning not only because it showed me the value of an education in opening up possible opportunities but also because the story allowed me to envision myself helping others in their educational journey. From the moment I could, I enacted upon this vision of helping others in their schooling. I started as a tutoring aid for Exceptional Education Students in the eighth grade. Later in high school, I would take on similar leadership roles, such as a tutor for AVID students, Student Government President, and Senior Class President. My passion for learning eventually developed into a purpose for teaching, with the hopes of one day having my own history class. My career path in education was chosen to help guide the next generation through their educational journey while also showing students who look like me that teaching is a viable career path that also does good for others. Throughout my grade school educational journey, only two of my teachers have been Black males like myself. While few in number, both teachers left a lasting impact on character. I felt seen when I was a student in these teachers’ classrooms. I felt as if my teacher saw me as a person rather than a name on a class roster. This feeling of visibility from my teachers left me driven to strive for my own classroom of mutual understanding and peace, much like theirs. As an educator, I aim to create lasting connections with my students culturally and emotionally, allowing them to express themselves truthfully.