Personal Narrative: Why I Am Today

From the day I was born, I was instantly labeled by the people surrounding me. To the eyes of many, I was to be a gang child, someone to drop out of school, and someone that merely existed to never fulfill their dreams. Some, many of my close relatives decided that there was no use fighting for something better and instead turned to drugs and gang violence. I grew up in South Central, a place that is pyrotechnic with violence. I was surrounded by people whom thought that being in a gang was the best thing in the world. I was often told that gangs were a family and that it was always an honor to be with a group of people that looked out for each-other. Kids at my school would often bully kids that did not aspire to be in a gang or that strayed away from violence. I became a target during my elementary school years and was often perceived as a “wannabe” be my schoolmates and relatives. Twice in my life, I have been offered drugs by two of my relatives and more than twice in my life, I have said no to things that may seem alluring. See, my parents are of good morals and high standards which is one of the reasons why I am who I am today. They’ve always tried their best to give my siblings and I all we need. They don’t always understand my need for school and knowledge but they do understand that they don’t want me to fall into a world that only loses its

I want to do better for myself, my family, and kids whom may be struggling or have struggled the same way I have. I want to help myself and others tear down the walls that have been built around us and I know this program can help me do that. I’ve aways said that money should never be something that keeps me from fulfilling my dreams, but to a certain extent, people whom have the money to receive the best education are at an advantage. This program will help me expand my knowledge in colleges and