When I was young, my mother, grandmother, aunt, and cousin instilled in me the importance of education. I would grab the books from my aunt's bookshelf and try to decipher the text the best I could. Through this, I was able to develop my love for books, especially those concerning societal issues and history. Originally from Newark, New Jersey, I grew up in an urban neighborhood where I witnessed many people, including family members, suffer - suffer in many systems and institutions that did not have adequate resources for a majority of the population to succeed. Therefore, when aspiring to receive a higher education, I found liberation - liberation in thought to see the error in systems and institutions and liberation to seek the answers to these errors. At St. Benedict's Prep, my high school, I was able to grasp the idea of community, the ability to live and grow together in a way that allows people to become the best they can be. During my junior year of high school, I was awarded the opportunity to spend two weeks in China. In this time, I was able to study Chinese civilization and specifically the education system. Angela Davis said, "we have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society."

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Muqkadeen Poole and I currently attend Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. I am a Peace Studies major with a focus in social justice and two minors in History and French. At SJU, I am an Intercultural LEAD scholar, an Entrepreneur Scholar, a Saint John's student senator, a proud member of the Cultural Affairs Board, and the standing president of CSB-SJU's joint student Muslim Society Club. Recently, I was accepted into the France Study Abroad Program for next fall and I am requesting assistance in funding $5,000. Half of this money would go towards my tuition abroad and the other half will go towards my living and travel expense while I am abroad.

Why France? I have three main reasons why I chose to study abroad in France. To begin, I'm interested in learning about French civilization, including their political system and history. Next, I have an intense desire to become fluent in French so as to be able to articulate myself in the language. Lastly, I wish to follow in the footsteps of Black activists, writers, scholars, and leaders such as Richard Wright, James Baldwin, and Angela Davis who spent time in France educating themselves and developing many of their ideas.

I was able to purchase my own plane ticket by working extra shifts and hours this last semester on top of my student duties. Additionally, instead of going home to New Jersey after the semester ended, I stayed in Minnesota working several jobs to save up as much money as possible. Then, this summer I will be teaching in inner city St. Paul, Minnesota, where I will be helping middle school students learn how to analyze literature, both earning some additional funds while fulfilling my personal mission to help others be liberated through education. Though I am working hard toward meeting all financial obligations of my semester abroad, I am still in need of an additional $5,000, essential for me to make the most of my study abroad time in France. I ask that you give what you can to assist me and my desire for education. I am an ambitious scholar wishing to broaden my knowledge on an international scale. I ask and am grateful for your assistance. Thank you.