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MY STORY
I am Malaika, and I am a poet, writer, scholar, actor, community builder and Black teenager with a strong interest in theater arts and social justice. I value education, I believe in justice, fairness, and equal rights for all people, and speak and act on my beliefs. I am also intellectually curious about the things that affect fairness, justice and equality in our world. This year, I wrote and directed The Third Date, my first one act play, that puts a focus on how women of color with mental illness are perceived and treated.
I am 15 and a sophomore in high school with a 3.7 GPA, and after graduation in 2019, I will go to college and major in drama. My goal is to become a Broadway and film actress, writer and director who uses art and culture to move and change people and society.
I am a member of my school’s Black Student Union, Gender Sexuality Alliance, Drama Club and Mock Trial Team. I have received awards in leadership, singing and acting through the St. Louis Black Rep Theater Summer Performance Arts Program. I recently won an Expressions Contest award for poetry with my poem “Hands Raised,” about the school to prison pipeline, during the St. Louis Human Rights Coalition’s 20th Anniversary Celebration.
Hands Raised:
A little black girl sits in her class ever so quietly
Listening.
Learning.
She timidly raises her hand to ask a question, in fear of looking stupid in front of her white classmates.
As that little dark hand rises into the air
Her teacher calls on her reluctantly.
Behind that hand that teacher sees every crime, felony, and misdemeanor associated with her people.
As her teacher and classmates subtly make her feel inferior the strength in her hand weakens as her arm goes down and she goes back to listening.
The little black girl doesn't ask questions anymore.
We walk into your classroom feeling unsafe
Feeling the cuffs of your oppression on our wrists weighing us down from getting the education we need.
How can you say
"Be all you can be"
When you've painted our futures the second we stepped into kindergarten?
Our protection and love from you sits on a wobbly line built on lies and we're one wrong move away from incarceration--
I mean detention
Or in school suspension
Or out of school suspension
The list goes on of ways to put us in these barriers we call a school.
We learn in a system where cuts are made to our education our public black education no questions asked
We live in a world where paper is a luxury
And security guards haunt our every move, waiting for us to "misbehave"
Little black children are not protected we never were this system was not made to protect us.
Our right to raise our hands and speak up was snatched from us the same moment they taught us we were nothing before we were enslaved.
But now
We know that not to be true.
Our people, our strong black people will defend our youth with everything in our power
they are not your statistic
They are not your experiment
To make you feel superior.
You can't stop those little black children from standing up for what they believe in
For what they are passionate about.
Our minds and souls run deeper than your pipelines
We can't be contained to your black children standard
We are far too strong for that.
We are far too strong for your pipelines.
We are far too strong for all of it.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Recently, I was accepted and received a partial scholarship to the Harvard University Secondary Summer Program for seven weeks in 2017. This summer I will attend Harvard University and take college level courses. The two courses I plan to take are Performing Musical Theater and Introduction to African Languages and Culture through Social Engagement. Harvard University is a school that benefits, and has benefited from people who attend and teach and are inspirational in their field of study and expertise. By attending Harvard University this summer I want to both inspire and be inspired.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
I am asking that you invest in me by helping to pay for the cost of my summer experience in the Harvard University Secondary Summer Program. The funds are needed by April 24, 2017. My budget for a total of $6,000 is below:
$4450 for Harvard University tuition, room & board
$750 for summer expenses while living in Boston
$500 for travel to and from Boston
WHY THIS OPPORTUNITY IS IMPORTANT
Participating in the Harvard University Secondary Summer Program and taking the theater and African social engagement courses are important to me because I will take two courses that I will learn from and will give me more experience in my areas of interest – theater arts and culture, which also benefits my social justice work. The Harvard University classes, led by experts in the field, will deepen my understanding and experience of musical theater and African people and culture.
Taking my chosen college level courses at Harvard University, that will be transferrable as college credits to a future college of my choice, is a unique experience that a lot of people my age, unfortunately, don’t get the chance to have. The experience will teach me about working and living in a college environment and will help me in the future when it is time to apply for, choose and attend my college. I will be prepared for the pace and volume of work. I will be prepared for engaging college student leaders, professors, deans, academic and community experts, and for the overall expectations of higher learning.
I am learning more and more about the importance of reciprocity and demonstrated appreciation, so I will be sending everyone who helps me reach my goal a postcard from my Harvard University Summer experience. Thank you for doing all you can to help me reach my goal and take advantage of this great opportunity to attend Harvard University this summer. Thanks again!
I am Malaika, and I am a poet, writer, scholar, actor, community builder and Black teenager with a strong interest in theater arts and social justice. I value education, I believe in justice, fairness, and equal rights for all people, and speak and act on my beliefs. I am also intellectually curious about the things that affect fairness, justice and equality in our world. This year, I wrote and directed The Third Date, my first one act play, that puts a focus on how women of color with mental illness are perceived and treated.
I am 15 and a sophomore in high school with a 3.7 GPA, and after graduation in 2019, I will go to college and major in drama. My goal is to become a Broadway and film actress, writer and director who uses art and culture to move and change people and society.
I am a member of my school’s Black Student Union, Gender Sexuality Alliance, Drama Club and Mock Trial Team. I have received awards in leadership, singing and acting through the St. Louis Black Rep Theater Summer Performance Arts Program. I recently won an Expressions Contest award for poetry with my poem “Hands Raised,” about the school to prison pipeline, during the St. Louis Human Rights Coalition’s 20th Anniversary Celebration.
Hands Raised:
A little black girl sits in her class ever so quietly
Listening.
Learning.
She timidly raises her hand to ask a question, in fear of looking stupid in front of her white classmates.
As that little dark hand rises into the air
Her teacher calls on her reluctantly.
Behind that hand that teacher sees every crime, felony, and misdemeanor associated with her people.
As her teacher and classmates subtly make her feel inferior the strength in her hand weakens as her arm goes down and she goes back to listening.
The little black girl doesn't ask questions anymore.
We walk into your classroom feeling unsafe
Feeling the cuffs of your oppression on our wrists weighing us down from getting the education we need.
How can you say
"Be all you can be"
When you've painted our futures the second we stepped into kindergarten?
Our protection and love from you sits on a wobbly line built on lies and we're one wrong move away from incarceration--
I mean detention
Or in school suspension
Or out of school suspension
The list goes on of ways to put us in these barriers we call a school.
We learn in a system where cuts are made to our education our public black education no questions asked
We live in a world where paper is a luxury
And security guards haunt our every move, waiting for us to "misbehave"
Little black children are not protected we never were this system was not made to protect us.
Our right to raise our hands and speak up was snatched from us the same moment they taught us we were nothing before we were enslaved.
But now
We know that not to be true.
Our people, our strong black people will defend our youth with everything in our power
they are not your statistic
They are not your experiment
To make you feel superior.
You can't stop those little black children from standing up for what they believe in
For what they are passionate about.
Our minds and souls run deeper than your pipelines
We can't be contained to your black children standard
We are far too strong for that.
We are far too strong for your pipelines.
We are far too strong for all of it.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Recently, I was accepted and received a partial scholarship to the Harvard University Secondary Summer Program for seven weeks in 2017. This summer I will attend Harvard University and take college level courses. The two courses I plan to take are Performing Musical Theater and Introduction to African Languages and Culture through Social Engagement. Harvard University is a school that benefits, and has benefited from people who attend and teach and are inspirational in their field of study and expertise. By attending Harvard University this summer I want to both inspire and be inspired.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
I am asking that you invest in me by helping to pay for the cost of my summer experience in the Harvard University Secondary Summer Program. The funds are needed by April 24, 2017. My budget for a total of $6,000 is below:
$4450 for Harvard University tuition, room & board
$750 for summer expenses while living in Boston
$500 for travel to and from Boston
WHY THIS OPPORTUNITY IS IMPORTANT
Participating in the Harvard University Secondary Summer Program and taking the theater and African social engagement courses are important to me because I will take two courses that I will learn from and will give me more experience in my areas of interest – theater arts and culture, which also benefits my social justice work. The Harvard University classes, led by experts in the field, will deepen my understanding and experience of musical theater and African people and culture.
Taking my chosen college level courses at Harvard University, that will be transferrable as college credits to a future college of my choice, is a unique experience that a lot of people my age, unfortunately, don’t get the chance to have. The experience will teach me about working and living in a college environment and will help me in the future when it is time to apply for, choose and attend my college. I will be prepared for the pace and volume of work. I will be prepared for engaging college student leaders, professors, deans, academic and community experts, and for the overall expectations of higher learning.
I am learning more and more about the importance of reciprocity and demonstrated appreciation, so I will be sending everyone who helps me reach my goal a postcard from my Harvard University Summer experience. Thank you for doing all you can to help me reach my goal and take advantage of this great opportunity to attend Harvard University this summer. Thanks again!