Funny! Smiley! Friendly! Joyful! That dude! These are the words that come to mind when I think of Keilyn Toone. I met Keilyn when I was a freshman at Bosse High School and he was a junior. I was a new kid, at a new school, and he was one of the first people that I met. I didn’t know Keilyn at the time, but he knew my brother so he greeted me with a laughing smile, and a “What’s up Lil’ Wag”. Immediately I felt like I belonged. I never told him how much that greeting meant to me but I can say that at that time, it meant the world to me. Whenever I would encounter Keilyn, no matter what kind of day I was having, he would always exude Joy. My Grandmother has always told me that happiness is circumstantial. Happiness is based upon the things that are happening to you and around you that causes you to be happy or sad. In high school, there are many things that can destroy your happiness. You might get a bad grade on your test. You might break up with your girlfriend. Someone can just look at you cross-eyed and your happy mood is broken. But Joy is something inside of you that just remains no matter what is going on around you. Bad things can happen that will bring you down, but when you have joy, you might feel sad, but it won’t knock you off your square. Joy is what Jaylin had an abundance! Joy is the legacy that he left behind! Having Joy and giving it back to others in return is the kind of legacy that I want to leave behind as well. In honor of Kielyn’s memory, I will strive to be the person who greets a new person with joy and not shade, like he greeted me. I will strive to be kind to others whether I know them or not. If all that I have to offer someone is a smile, I want to be like Kielyn and offer one up gladly! I was devastated when I heard the news of Kielyn’s passing, because I knew that the world would be a different place without his Joy. When I think of his smile and the funny things that he would say, it has me cracking up right now! Many believe that only people who die old or who are famous can leave behind a legacy. Kielyn proved this to be untrue! I want to strive to carry on the legacy that Kielyn started. The legacy of bringing joy, smiles and laughter to the lives of others. Keilyn may not have lived for many years, but if I had a chance to talk to him today, I would let him know that if it’s up to me, his living will not be in vain. Rest In Peace #22!

As a young child, dreams of going to college and being a successful individual was not a consideration in my young mind. I had a tough upbringing and was on the road to becoming an unfortunate statistic that many young African American males face in impoverished environments. These statistics include illiteracy and incarceration. When I was in the third grade, my grandparents became my guardians because my mother was neither emotionally nor mentally able to take care of me at the time. I don’t know the specific diagnosis of my mothers mental illness but I feel that if she had gotten help for her psychosis, that things may have worked out better for us. She did not seek or receive the help that she needed and ultimately ended up in the prison system. My experiences as a child taught me that oppression, bought on by poverty, injustices and lack of educational opportunities in many black communities, can cause depression and other mental health issues. It often becomes one of the main reasons why people in our communities do not thrive to be the people that we were meant to be. In my neighborhood I see men and women on the streets begging for meals and a hand outs. Many people, including myself, pass by them thinking that if they would just get a job that it would solve all of their problems. But as I look closely, I can see in many of them that something isn’t right in their minds or in their spirits and just having a job would not help them. As I was growing up, I fought feelings of abandonment because of not being raised in a traditional family with a mom and dad. I thank God that when my grandparents became my guardians, they talked with me about my feelings of abandonment and sought counseling for me when needed. They instilled confidence in me and made me realize my potential intellectually, spiritually and mentally. I am aware that this is not always the case for many young children in my situation. My dream is to go to a prestigious college or university, preferably an HBCU, to study business management. After receiving my education, I would like to return to my communities to help people overcome poverty and oppression by establishing businesses and helping people to become entrepreneurs. I know that establishing wealth in blighted communities will not solve all the problems the cause mental health issues, but I believe that it could be a start. I would also be a strong advocate for young children such as myself that have lost their parents due to mental health and make sure that they receive counseling. I know that there has got to be a better way of handling the mental health crisis and social injustice issues in a black community instead of incarceration and neglect. My ideal community would be one where mental health and social justice for people of color is a priority and not an afterthought.