Hey all, I haven’t been on here for quite some time. I must say that even though it's been a while I frequently think of all you who shared a relationship with me in one way or the other. I frequently think of this site and how much I was able to grow by helping others. as a matter of fact, I’m not sure if I would have focus my life on what I what I’m trying to do if it wasn’t for my start here. For those who don’t know me, I will give me a synopsis of my life. Im a G, not just any G but an OG, the set I’m from don’t matter. As a youth I ran the streets and I ran them hard. 12 felonies by the time I was 15. I was also kick out of school in 9th grade. Life was rough but it got rougher. When I was 16 I overdosed and actually died, twice. Not an experience many can say they have made it through. if not for a neighbor who was able to resuscitate within 4 to 6 minutes I’d be brain dead or worse... just dead. After that my family and life as I knew it was shattered. For a year I was locked up in treatment facilities and mental health facilities. Combine that with the time spent in and out of juvi... and it translates to more time locked up than with freedom. In fact most of my memories as a youth were from the inside of a facility than doing the normal things teen should be doing. Then again I never knew what I missed out on until later when I could reflect on my past. I thought I was living the fast life. Partying, hanging with the homies, getting **** up every single chance I got.
Well when I finally did get out of my programs at 17 my family had to move. I knew that I wanted to do more with myself (death has a way of making you realize this) but I wasn’t sure what or how. But I knew that I had to make some moves or else the next funeral I would go to would be my own. Once we did move after a series of **** events me and my fam became homeless. We lived a year and a half like that. We stayed in this trailer that was used for storage on a friend’s property. No running water, no bathroom, no room, just a path we created between all their stuff so that we could access where we slept. About six months before this I stumbled gangstyle. I had nothing else and used this site as a way to kill time. However, eventually my life became entwined with a few individuals on here. I help many and many helped me. Through these relationships I was able to not only to deal with my situation at the time... but to also save a few lives. I’m thankful for this because the help I gave also impacted me. It made me realize where my passion would one day be. I didn’t know it at the time though. eventually we stacked enough bread to get a place we moved to Gainesville, Florida... for those of you who do not know it's the home of the (University of Florida)gators. I was still kind of set in my ways and was hustling the streets but knew that I still wanted more for myself. Thankfully because of a special relationship on here and one at the place I worked, I was finally able to see some true potential. They had faith in me and believed in me... something that no one had ever really done before. The girl I worked with explained to me that I could file a fasfa and get paid to go to school. I figured what did I have to lose and so I filed my fasfa and applied to the community college. Eventually I got a letter that said I was accepted and my momz busted in tear... the thing that was funny was that it also said they accept everyone. Before I knew it I was in classes, I was never a good student, didn’t have any high school classes under my belt, and didn’t know how to study. I made it through my first semester but hit quite a rough spot my second semester. I wasn’t sure of what I was going to do and contemplated joining the army. However, I was disqualified because of my charges. I stuck it out and promised to myself that even if I didn’t make it that I would at least try hard. 2 years later I got my AA at the community college and knew that if I wanted to do anything with myself I had to continue my education. Although I had a 3.4 gpa I wasn’t sure if I could make it to the next level. But I figured I should at least apply. After months of waiting I got the letter that would change my life. I got accepted to the University of Florida. I was going to go to the same place so many of my new friends were at and one of the most prestigious institutions in the nation next to people like Tim Tebow. The place where I witnessed 3 national championships in the same amount of years. A place where I never thought I could reach or make it. It’s been two years since I got that letter and I am pleased to inform you all, that I will be graduating in a little over a month with a BA in psychology with a minor in family youth and community sciences. Not only will I be graduating but I will be graduating with a 3.8 gpa summa **** laude (super high honors) with in the top 10% of my class. I never thought college was for me. I never thought I could make it. I don’t think many did. However against all odds, here I stand. I should have been a statistic. I should not be alive. However god works in mysterious ways. You see homies.... no one wants us to succeed, they don’t want us to come out of the hood, they don’t want us to become the next president or even the next CEO. However, we can! I have chosen to spend the rest of my life working with people like us. I plan on starting my own nonprofit to work with at-risk youth. And you can too! You can be the influence in someone's life that propels them to greatness. If not for a few people in my life who did that for me... I would not be where I am. We are at an advantage we can connect with other youths in a way that our teachers, counselors, and parents can’t. We KNOW what it’s like to have the world against us. we KNOW what it’s like to be a lil **** runnin da streets. None of those people typically do. And so I ask you... what is it that you want for yourself? The casket, a cell or infinite possibilities? What legacy do you want to leave behind? A **** who ran the streets until the streets ran em over or a **** who ran the streets and used that knowledge to change the world? Remember every choice we make effects others, directly or indirectly... everything is connected. Take this time to think of how the world around you has influenced you. Do you think if you were born in an upper class situation or in another country that you would be the same? Definitely not! Once you realize this you can make you own decisions instead of your decisions being controlled by the environment you experienced.... and then, instead of the world influencing you, you can influence the world. Think about this. We are strong, we are experienced and we are powerful. Remember this everyday when you leave the house and DEFY ALL ODDS
We are all humans and we all make mistakes. As humans we will never be perfect, but we can constantly seek to improve ourselves. We are not only worth it, but with the tuff life we have had to live… we owe it to ourselves!
/’~OnE LoVe~’\