Blog freewrite
The inauguration of President Barack Obama to me means change. I come from a family of alcoholics and drug addicts. I am 17 years old. My life was not easy. I have overcome the pressures of generational curses and have been drug and alcohol free. This means change for me. That there is still hope for my future, that I should never give up, and that I will continue to press forward.
The inauguration gives me the sense of endless possibilities. That just because I am poverty stricken does not mean I have to stay that way. The inauguration day will mark an important day of my success as an African American male who has all the odds against him. It gives me the courage to pursue my dream of going to college to become a doctor, doing the things I love best, helping people.
On my resume, my job objective states, “To inspire, educate and grow in the present world while lending a hand to those that are in need, in my community and in my life.” I can’t forget those who are struggling because I know what it is to struggle. As a senior in high school, I had to support myself the whole four years. Yes my father is around but he couldn’t pay for the various activities that I was part of keep to keep myself off the streets and out of gangs.
I know that being able to watch and keep up with Barack Obama was the best decision I have made in my life, along with saying no to drugs, telling people I don’t do those types of things, and being community-minded while making a difference in West Fresno. I have helped encourage myself through helping others.
This historic day marks the day of my success! I am proud to be an awesome role model to my brothers and sisters that they can achieve greatness because greatness is within. They can see that I didn’t fall in the trap that was set for me and didn’t fall for the negativity. I have made great progress and I am a testimony for other young men like myself. That’s what the inauguration means to me.
In 2006, over 25 youth began participating in weekly after-school writing workshops where they congregated in the hallway of a two-story building in West Fresno and learned the essentials of creating media and telling their stories. The group evolved over the next five years and is now proudly recognized as The kNOw Youth Media.
Through our program, we create opportunities for our youth participants, who in turn create long-term positive change in their communities. Our approach weaves youth development and youth media innovation to produce our biannual youth publication, multimedia projects, and community forums.
The kNOw began as a project of New America Media, which was the country’s first and largest national collaboration and advocate of 2000 ethnic news organizations. In 2018 The kNOw became a project of Youth Leadership Institute.
