“With Man Gone, Will There Be Hope for Gorilla?” (Quinn, 1992). The book "Ishmael an Adventure of the Mind and Spirit" is a book I read in my philosophy class that examines issues in culture, society, and the world. It starts with the narrator finally finding someone who can give him lessons on how to save the world, after spending most of his early life looking for one. The teacher turns out to be a telepathic gorilla named Ishmael. Ishmael is captivated and put in a zoo, then a carnival where he is finally sold to Walter Sokolow who helps him develop his telepathic abilities. After Walter’s death, Ishmael goes on a quest to find a student to help spread his teachings. When Ismael and the narrator find each other, Ishmael starts a series of conversations with him where he teaches him about his cultural heritage. Ismael explains that humans are divided into two categories: Leavers and Takers. Takers are a part of the dominant culture, which sees people as the world's rulers. Their goal is to conquer the earth, and then the universe through technological advancements. Leavers belong to tribal groups that live simpler lives while following the same fundamental principles that guide other living things on Earth. While it may seem that Taker culture has defeated the natural laws that rule other life forms, Ishmael helps the narrator and the audience realize that Taker culture is on a downward spiral and doomed to collapse once it has drained the world of its organic and ecological resources. Ishmael, who had been kept captive all his life, had come to question captivity; as a result, he tried to pass on what he had learned about his captors to them. We as humans need to realize that the world does not revolve around us. We need to realize that we can learn so much from animals and the complex simplicity of nature. Ismael has learned by studying the history of humanity that, in our search for dominance, we are enslaved to a destructive way of life. We need to understand why humans want to dominate all things. In the book, Ismael is the voice of Leavers who have been ignored by humans because we see ourselves as superior and above the rules that govern evolution. Hegel’s master-slave complex is demonstrated here as the slave, in this case, leavers, becomes the instrument of the master’s will. An alternative way of thinking about this master-slave concept as well as the Taker vs. Leaver concept, is that the master is dependent on the slave. The master has the illusion of being superior, however, the slave produces more than they need to live. This is the case with humans and the natural world. We as humans may think we are superior but without animals, plants, or the earth’s resources we are nothing. This is the point Ishmael tries to make. We think we are striving with everything we have accomplished as a species, but soon our luck will run out and nothing will be left but the world before our evolution. Quarantine has shown a glimpse of what Earth would be like without humans. There was a decrease in air pollution because of the reduction in combustion of fossil fuel and energy consumption. Noise levels dropped due to fewer human activities around the world and water quality improved because the shutting down of resorts and beaches paused effluent discharge in bodies of water. If we can leave our Taker mentality behind, there may be hope for us. Descartes’ concept of Self is portrayed in the book as well. The narrator is not given a name, yet his passions are shared with the readers. This allows us, the readers, to identify with the narrator and go on the narrator’s journey of self-discovery. Due to his captivity, Ishmael developed thinking superior to those of other wild creatures. He is first named Goliath, where he is seen as a giant enemy to be taken down, then he is named Ishmael the son of one of God’s favored servants. The Renaming of Ishmael created an intense sense of self within him. Circling back to the theme of the book, why are things the way they are, we can attempt to understand life as we know it. First, we would need to define what culture is and how humans (takers) and everything else (leavers) fit in the world. Then we need to identify the overall goal of man and why that goal was established. Finally, we need to see the world in the eyes of the leavers instead of the takers. Eventually, we will realize that the key to changing the destructive path Takers are on is to adapt traits of Leaver culture. I started the book expecting some philosophical spiel that would leave me more confused than when I started. However, I found myself with more answers than I questioned. The book has taken me on an adventure of the mind and spirit as promised. I now find myself wanting to spread the teachings of the great Ishmael and help the narrator on his journey to save the world. With Ishmael not there to call us out, only one question is left to be answered. “With Gorilla Gone, Will There Be Hope for Man?” (Quinn, 1992).

“Intelligent” is not a word I would use to describe myself. It’s not because I’m not intelligent but because words like hard-working, determined, and persevering describe me better. This previous year has been the hardest yet most rewarding for me. I’ve learned to advocate and believe in myself, resulting in the realization that my past academic struggles did not define my overall intelligence. It was a lack of knowledge that confined me to the cycle of depleted self-worth. Not having the proper knowledge and resources to achieve my dream of becoming a doctor. The I Am Abel Foundation, created for underrepresented pre-medical students and founded by Dr. Sweetie Conway, not only connected me to a community but introduced me to resources I would not normally have access to. The foundation has put me in rooms I thought I would never be in. I’ve been introduced to doctors from various specialties; cardiology, pediatrics, neurology, and many more, all of whom are black or minority. I’ve been connected to volunteering, internship, and scholarship opportunities all because this organization cared enough to offer me these resources. That is why nonprofit organizations with a strong community impact are important to me because, without organizations like I Am Abel, I would not be as close to my dream as I am now. My goal in healthcare is to protect and preserve human life per the needs of everyone I have the honor of treating. I try to live by a few core values. The first is to always try to do right, which I pray to do with every decision I make, whether in health care or my personal life. Next is to strengthen any team I am a part of, by being inclusive and cultivating community; something I depend on to aid in my medical journey as well as what my plans are when it comes to my giving back to the community. The following value is to find a better way because the goal is to continuously strive to be better. A better doctor, a better member of society, and most of all, a better person. Finally, to make results happen by igniting passion and inspiring urgency. If there is no passion for the work one does, there won’t be a drive to become better at the craft. I aspire to forever work at being phenomenal at what I love to do and to inspire urgency within the people around me. The urgency to change lives and urgency to make healthcare and the world a better place for us and our generations to come. Overall, the end goal for me isn’t just to become a doctor. I want to create impactful changes and leave the door open for individuals with the same goal as me to continue and build on these changes. I want to create resources for minority students to provide them the head start, that many of us weren’t given. Through these resources, generations of compassionate, well-equipped physicians can arise. I would feel at peace, knowing that, although the battle of healthcare inequity isn’t over, we would be armored with an army of Davids in a system full of Goliaths.

On July 21st of 2020, my friend lost her mom. I remember it was 4 in the morning when I got the call from her. Before she even said anything, I knew something was wrong. Chills ran down my body and I was frozen in shock. This has been my best friend of over 10 years. Her mom was like a second mom to me and vice versa. She was the only person my mom trusted me with. How do you respond to such news? I didn’t know, yet I went to the hospital with just the close on my back. I watched as they loaded up the ambulance with her body and I watched as uncontrollable tears tore through my friend. All I could do was hold her. I held her that whole night as she cried herself to sleep, and I stayed with her the whole day. In that moment I thought of nothing else but how I was going to help her through this tragedy. I didn’t care that I was scheduled for that week or that I had made plans. None of that mattered when my best friends world was shattering before my eyes. She was just 19 years old. She wasn’t close with her dad and most of her mom’s family were back home in Nigeria. That didn’t matter to me though, because in that moment, she became my family. She ended up staying with me and my mom. To this day, she always tells me she didn’t know what she would have done if I wasn’t there. We both graduate in the spring and I can’t wait to be there when she walks on that stage, despite everything she has gone through. To her mom, I just want to say I got our girl, she will be just fine. On July 4th of 2021, my friend should have died. She has had a history of suicidal thoughts and had lost her mother to suicide when she was a little girl. She had been kicked out of her auntie’s house and was living with her boyfriend at the time. That day she was thrown out and didn’t have anywhere to go at 20 years old. She was depressed and called me for help. I had just turned 21 and was out of a job. Thankfully I had some money saved up and I was able to get her a hotel room. In situations such as this, I start to realize why I believe in God. If I hadn’t just turned 21, I wouldn’t have been able to get her a hotel. I thank God for not only giving me the means to be able to help her but also a good heart. If I didn’t have the compassion and grace that I could only have gotten from God, she surely would have taken her life that night. As she was telling me how she had plans to kill herself, all I could do was pray. This situation affirmed my belief that people need people. If something is too hard to bare alone, seek help because you never know what angel God may be sending your way.