My heart has been heavy this week as I learned about the consecutive killings of two South Fulton students due to senseless violence. One of those students, Benson West, was a freshmen at Banneker High School and participating in our RealTalk ATL Program. I never met Benson, but I learned from our team this morning he was quiet in class, it was clear he was struggling with something, and recently asked about our College4Careers Program.
Hearing about Benson’s inquiry eerily illustrated for me the gap between the dreams and the realities facing our youth living in impossible situations due to violence and poverty. Above are pictures I received this week of students at Banneker High School participating in a College4Careers workshop about Albany and Georgia State University.
I am so very proud that our youth living in some of the most challenging environments are dreaming and fantasizing about escaping from the clutches of poverty while the reality of their circumstances pounds its fist, demanding to be let in through doors like violence.
Benson and Amira (both pictured above) are gone too soon, yet there are so many more youth dreaming. Get involved today to make sure we can create door stops so more of our youth’s dreams become their realities. Inbox us @ [email protected] with your ideas about how people can get involved and we will keep an updated list on our website.
#gonetoosoon #butneverforgotten
With you in service,
Qaadirah
