“To build a better world[,] we need to replace the patchwork of lucky breaks and arbitrary advantages today that determine success – the fortunate birth dates and the happy accidents of history – with a society that provides opportunities for all.” When Malcolm Gladwell wrote this in The Outliers, he was explaining that success in our current society is not dependent on talent and merit, but rather on who we are and where we come from. This is especially apparent in today’s inequitable education system. Educational opportunities provided to students are contingent on uncontrollable factors such as their race, economics, sexual orientation, and immigration status. I grew up on both sides of this corrupt system, and I’m going to dismantle it. I attended many schools, from poor urban schools to more prominent, wealthy schools. Since my youth, I was able to identify the differences among each. In fifth grade, I was accepted into a program for low-income students and given a stipend for transportation. I still recall my first day attending school in a very wealthy district, outside the City of Milwaukee. The first thing I noticed was the clean and crisp aroma that filled the halls and the tight bindings of the books. In the dining hall, students wished for seconds and were served with a smile. We had field trips often, and there was an abundance of classroom resources and extracurricular activities. I was enthralled by home economics and financial literacy. Public funding cuts ended the program that enabled me to attend. Soon after, I was back at an underfunded school in a predominately black, low-income neighborhood, where the food, mandatory uniforms, and environment resembled that of a prison. Every morning, we were welcomed by metal detectors and police officers. Experiencing this gave me a first-hand perspective of how systemic racism and income inequality can affect one's quality of education. Experiencing this has driven my motivation to uplift my community. From that point on, I aspired to advocate for equitable opportunities for all regardless of their racial or financial circumstances. Since the rise of recent national tragedies that called for a renewed civil rights movement, I realized that change will never come until we make our voices heard yet again. To this end, I decided that it is important to begin my path toward making the world better for those who are less fortunate. I put all I had into graduating a year early,bringing me one-step closer to my goal. The next step in my plan is to attend university and earn a law degree. If given the opportunity to attend school and earn my degree, I would be provided with the knowledge to construct a viable solution to balancing funding across all schools, and the platform to pursue implementing said solution.This will be an important step towards replacing the patchwork of lucky breaks and arbitrary advantages, with the more equitable society that Malcolm Gladwell envisioned.

“To build a better world[,] we need to replace the patchwork of lucky breaks and arbitrary advantages today that determine success – the fortunate birth dates and the happy accidents of history – with a society that provides opportunities for all.” When Malcolm Gladwell wrote this in The Outliers, he was explaining that success in our current society is not dependent on talent and merit, but rather on who we are and where we come from. This is especially apparent in today’s inequitable education system. Educational opportunities provided to students are contingent on uncontrollable factors such as their race, economics, sexual orientation, and immigration status. I grew up on both sides of this corrupt system, and I’m going to dismantle it. I attended many schools, from poor urban schools to more prominent, wealthy schools. Since my youth, I was able to identify the differences among each. In fifth grade, I was accepted into a program for low-income students and given a stipend for transportation. I still recall my first day attending school in a very wealthy district, outside the City of Milwaukee. The first thing I noticed was the clean and crisp aroma that filled the halls and the tight bindings of the books. In the dining hall, students wished for seconds and were served with a smile. We had field trips often, and there was an abundance of classroom resources and extracurricular activities. I was enthralled by home economics and financial literacy. Public funding cuts ended the program that enabled me to attend. Soon after, I was back at an underfunded school in a predominately black, low-income neighborhood, where the food, mandatory uniforms, and environment resembled that of a prison. Every morning, we were welcomed by metal detectors and police officers. Experiencing this gave me a first-hand perspective of how systemic racism and income inequality can affect one's quality of education. Experiencing this has driven my motivation to uplift my community. From that point on, I aspired to advocate for equitable opportunities for all regardless of their racial or financial circumstances. Since the rise of recent national tragedies that called for a renewed civil rights movement, I realized that change will never come until we make our voices heard yet again. To this end, I decided that it is important to begin my path toward making the world better for those who are less fortunate. I put all I had into graduating a year early, bringing me one-step closer to my goal. The next step in my plan is to attend university and earn a degree which combines the majors surrounding public policy and economic development . If given the opportunity to attend school and earn my degree, I would be provided with the knowledge to construct a viable solution to balancing funding across all schools, and the platform to pursue implementing said solution.This will be an important step towards replacing the patchwork of lucky breaks and arbitrary advantages, with the more equitable society that Malcolm Gladwell envisioned.