Barak's Rite of Passage

This year,  my beautiful, caring African- American boy turned 13 on October 25th.  He told me, “Mom, this year I don’t want a party.“ And, we usually go all out for his Halloween costume but this year he said he wanted to be a vampire “With no cape, just the teeth.”  I was stunned.  This morning we put on his vampire makeup for him to wear to school, but because we had not tried them on before today, we didn’t realize the teeth didn’t fit.  He was glum and said, “That’s okay, I just won’t be anything.” But he IS something.  He is something incredible.  He is an 94 average student, a brown belt in karate, a musician, an athlete and a kind, inquisitive kid who because he doesn’t even like candy, usually raises money for the World Wildlife Fund  when he goes door to door on Halloween.   All fall, he has been happily going to friends’ parties and bar mitzvahs, so he has not stopped enjoying parties. So what is going on?  I believe I have inadvertently passed my single mom money worries on to him. And he’s trying to save me money.  He is try to help me.

 
This summer, I want to help him.  For his Rite of Passage, I want to take him to Ivory Coast—the homeland of his father—whom he has rarely seen.  I want him to see Africa and gain a pride and knowledge of self through experience.  SO in lieu of a party, I am requesting that friends and family donate to Barak’s Rite of Passage Journey to Africa.  Through a research grant, my travel will be covered but I cannot afford to cover air travel for Barak to Ivory Coast and Benin  where  Ancestry.com says we are from.  With your help, we can raise the $1700 it will cost to fund transportation to and fro.  Please help me in my efforts to raise a strong, secure and confident young Black man.

 

Shona Tucker