I received a text from a chat group I’m in sent this past Saturday morning: “Morning! My moms having vision boarding at her house today”. Wow God’s timing! I was planning on doing my faith vision board at some point so I’m glad this gift came sooner. Shoutout to Renee’s mom, Damali! Me and Renee with our boards.

Initially, I arrived and greeted everyone. Like busy bees all the ladies were cutting out powerful images and empowering words from the pile of Essence and Harvard School magazines among others while vibing to some music. On a side note: I spoke to a young woman who attended and she happened to mention that she had applied to LOTS of medical schools. As someone that is always rooting to see more Black MDs among other underrepresented groups in leadership positions within the medical field, I inquired more and pointed her to a center I had interned at that ran a program: BWH STARS catered to underrepresented junior & senior undergraduate students and first year medical students. Unfortunately they won’t be running the program in 2020, but will in Summer 2021. Be on the lookout!

My passion for empowering high school teens to college students stems from my subpar experience at the high school I attended. A dictatorial regime when it came to discipline, but lacked in properly readying students for college/alternative routes like trades or entrepreneurial activities. AmeriCorps tutors (majority white american) came on the scene my 1st year to spicen up their resumes and see what the “struggle” looked like for the Black and Latino students they would end up “saving” from the perils of the “inner city”. You see how crazy this sounds? Well, many unfortunately STILL have this mindset. And did I mention that many of us didn’t even fit the “stereotypical mold” of their wildest dreams _______ (fill in the blank stereotypes of Black and Latino groups). Sadly, as a Dominican teen I didn’t even have the slightest grasp of the various levels of racism, micro-aggressions and prejudices until years later. Thanks to taking sociology & public health courses, studying abroad, volunteering and domestic & international internship experiences (mainly by my own inquisitive nature) at university level the wheels began to turn for me. After graduating from university, I happened to reconnect with a few tutors whom witnessed and disclosed to me much of racist commentary most of their white American counterparts who thought they were saving “us” were exhibiting through a white savior complex lens. A Race and ethnic relations course (the class that changed my WHOLE life) should be made part of the mandatory curriculum required for all freshmen as English & Math were and still are. When it came to deciding the college of choice there was no detailed process of doing so as I, now, realize was so important. It felt like my high school preferred to bow down to the MCAS (Massachusetts standardized testing) rather than preparing us for the SATs and strategically navigating college (in order to atleast come out with the least or NO debt)! Most of my high school’s student demographic consisted of Black and Latino students, and per usual, we were given the short end of the stick when it came to the resources that were needed. I later learned that my high school was funded partially through public resources not just private. Fun Fact!

The young woman at this past weekend’s activity had shared that she was Haitian and explained her high school experience to me. Although in a private school, she noticed the disposable income most of the wealthy kids had as they were tutored at their own leisure while she was not allotted the same. She also mentioned the ridiculously low standards that Black youth were held at vs their white American counterparts. The power of the tongue is real-- speak death onto a person see how they turn out years later vs someone who gets life spoken into them. It’s that simple. At one point, we were like oh shoot we gotta finish our boards! I realized how particular my attention to detail was because when I looked around I saw everyone was finished. LOL

I ended up adding more to my faith vision board over the weekend. I came across a Stop & Shop recipe magazine and a real estate magazine at home (food and financial wealth) best of both worlds. I felt like Nemo recently because you know, life happens, even after you do these “pick me up” activities. Try to be the Dory to your family, friends and even strangers. 

Although I did not have the most fruitful high school experience I am grateful for what I have learned years later so in the present and future I can empower & engage!