I have always longed to be immersed in black culture, yet my hometown of Cumming, GA would likely never be that place. I must branch and redefine and realign myself in my culture. I can graduate and become another martyr for black female excellence. HBCU are such a vast contrast from my life in a majority white school. Finding someone to do my braids or twist would require a road trip more than a few hours long. I had to adapt due to my isolation from my black culture. I learn to do my siblings hair and what products I would need to keep my natural hair healthy. My resources were limited, thus I coconut oil or shea butter. Although I had learned to fend for myself my predominantly white area robbed me from my culture. The biggest difference in an HBCU to other college is its demographics. A degree can be issued from a university, yet a deep and meaningful black experience is a luxury only a HBCU can provide to me. I want to be educated in a university of black success and learn and discover more about my people through my next four years of schooling. I will succeed in black radiance and continue to help people once I am admitted into the medical field.

My hometown was once known as the most racist area in America. Forsyth county has severely evolved, yet my family's time here has been far from perfect. My siblings and I had been targets of rude comments and terrible racism in our school experience. I have always been a very strong-willed and outspoken woman. I don't take kindly to being belittled. Though many in my school have tested my limits, I have made my character known. My passion in school is the Black Student Union: the B.O.L.D. club. I was in the club all four years of my high school career. The club aimed to educate willing people on black issues, inherent racism, and how to be an ally. Through this club, I feel I helped educate and enlighten the students of my school on how they can become more well-rounded. Many students came to voice their grievances and have a community of other students to listen, reassure, and comfort them. Though I believe the club truly helped out its members, it also helped me. I discovered more about my culture and how to advocate for myself. After my first year in the club, the B.L.M. protest and riot broke out. Though my past self would sit back and stay quiet, something was different in me. I went to the protest in my town square. The county has changed, but it requires work. At the demonstration, the Forsyth County News interviewed me. I had never been in the paper, yet I prepared to speak my mind. I recounted my feelings. Present were so many people there to fight for a cause. I told them how I felt our county has shown its nasty colors, but despite it, I see a community of people that are willing to fight the same way I am. Through this protest, I also advocated through my social media for petition signing and education. Though I was hesitant, I found comfort when I saw many people message me asking what they could do to help. I worked closely with the Equal Justice Initiative sector for Forsyth County. E.J.I. have many resources to educate. Some of which I used to educate in my own affinity club and during the upheaval of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The E.J.I. also hosted celebrations for juneteenth. Embarrassingly, I had never heard of Juneteenth until I had talked with some of the leaders of E.J.I. Directly after I had found out about this momentous holiday, I put it out to the B.O.L.D. club. I put all the information on the holiday and made sure anyone who wanted to attends would have the details. I saw a few member there which more than excited me. My school has been affected by my eagerness and ability to be unapologetically black. One thing I am known for is speaking my mind. I will never let someone break a fellow classmate down over skin color. Racism and prejudice may have worked in the past, but my fellow B.O.L.D. members and I have secured my high school as a safe place for my black classmates, and nothing gets past us.

My hometown was once known as the most racist area in America. Forsyth county has severely evolved, yet my family's time here has been far from perfect. My siblings and I had been targets of rude comments and terrible racism in our school experience. I have always been a very strong-willed and outspoken woman. I don't take kindly to being belittled. Though many in my school have tested my limits, I have made my character known. My passion in school is the Black Student Union: the B.O.L.D. club. I was in the club all four years of my high school career. The club aimed to educate willing people on black issues, inherent racism, and how to be an ally. Through this club, I feel I helped educate and enlighten the students of my school on how they can become more well-rounded. Many students came to voice their grievances and have a community of other students to listen, reassure, and comfort them. Though I believe the club truly helped out its members, it also helped me. I discovered more about my culture and how to advocate for myself. After my first year in the club, the B.L.M. protest and riot broke out. Though my past self would sit back and stay quiet, something was different in me. I went to the protest in my town square. The county has changed, but it requires work. At the demostration, the Forsyth County News interviewed me. I had never been in the paper, yet I prepared to speak my mind. I recounted my feelings. Present were so many people there to fight for a cause. I told them how I felt our county has shown its nasty colors, but despite it, I see a community of people that are willing to fight the same way I am. Through this protest, I also advocated through my social media for petition signing and education. Though I was hesitant, I found comfort when I saw many people message me asking what they could do to help. I worked closely with the Equal Justice Initiative sector for Forsyth County. E.J.I. have many resources to educate. Some of which I used to educate in my own affinity club and during the upheaval of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The E.J.I. also hosted celebrations for juneteenth. Embarrassingly, I had never heard of Juneteenth until I had talked with some of the leaders of E.J.I. Directly after I had found out about this momentous holiday, I put it out to the B.O.L.D. club. I put all the information on the holiday and made sure anyone who wanted to attends would have the details. I saw a few member there which more than excited me. My school has been affected by my eagerness and ability to be unapologetically black. One thing I am known for is speaking my mind. I will never let someone break a fellow classmate down over skin color. Racism and prejudice may have worked in the past, but my fellow B.O.L.D. members and I have secured my highschool as a safe place for my black classmates, and nothing gets past us.

Racial discrimination is still heavily present in our educational spaces, thus making the very foundation of a black child's interactions more harshly judged to that of their white counterparts. At West Forsyth, insults to my academic prowess occurred constantly. Though I carry myself as the educated and eloquent woman I am , many times I have been questioned on my ability to perform at higher standards. I often found myself questioning why I was belittled by my constituents, yet being in the higher percentile grade-wise in all subjects. I realized as a black person my opinions and ideas were disparage, yet I work just as hard as my classmates. The way prejudice is displayed, in cases I have experienced, is made with snide comments and gestures. Sarah and David Gillborn, researchers in higher education, found though in most cases “...Racism is crude and obvious, [but]… The vast majority of racism … is much more subtle. It runs through the ‘business-as-usual’ assumptions and actions,” (Gillborn, S., & Gillborn, D., 2021, pg. 24). It is hard for many to let go of their racist ideals. Bigotry seems to cloud judgements on the character of people of color. I can account the time I was talking to the parents of a friend and we had small talk about my hobbies and my schooling. I can remember stating I was in school and they look stunned. They rambled on about how proud they were that a girl like me could be in such a nice school. How is someone going to tell me it is astonishing that I am doing well in school? A congratulations or a good job would suffice. I could not fathom their surprise when I told them my rigor AP /Honor course load; they would pass out from sheer shock I could only assume. Although many would see this reaction as a normal response, from my perspective, it seems they are shocked that I could have accomplished the virtual bare minimum. From the way I speak, vast vocab and complex thought, I would only assume a listener would easily believe that I am a woman of high intelligence. Even still, something prevents them from seeing me in a prestigious light. Stereotypes lead white individuals to look down on people of color. Though many believe racial inequality is in the past is due to less blatant displays of discrimination, many people of color still feel the judgement. Nevertheless, I will continue to excel academically, and advocate for myself and my younger siblings. No one will devalue the black successes we have achieved. It brings me immense joy to know my existence and success in school would enrage the people that rioted during integration. Although my enrollment into school is barely comparable to the racial discrimination endured by black students like the Little Rock Nine, I feel proud of my accomplishment made by activist of the past. My true fate is to go beyond and earn my degree. I will become a doctor and fulfill the dreams I hope for as a child. Soon I will be regarded as Dr. Olivia Keith Ph. D. I will do the work and try my hardest. I plan to study either dermatology or gynecology in residency. I have my work cut out for me, yet I know I can accomplish it.