As we sat on edge of the water behind the MLK Jr. monument on the national mall Saturday, we reflected on the stifling adversities our ancestors endured and the progress we’ve made from then to now. Our ancestors weren’t allowed to sit in the same classrooms, share the same bathroom, or even drink from the same water fountain as their white counterparts and today, here I was, sitting at the foot of a statue of one of America’s greatest civil rights leaders in the midst of a crowd of people of all colors and ethnic backgrounds. But as my friends and I sat with our legs suspended over the lake, we noticed something floating slowly over to us; something that I think could manifest itself into a very special opportunity.
A small water bottle came floating over toward us as if it was meant to be in our hands. Aaron being the one with the longest legs, reached over the water as we grabbed his legs and he pulled the bottle from the water. It contained a small, folded up letter that we proceeded to open and read. Now, while I’m sure that this bottle had probably only been dropped into the water just a couple minutes before we grabbed it, it was still quite an interesting experience(in other words, don’t rain on my parade).
We were pretty excited to find out that the person who wrote the letter was a 16-year-old girl from New York. She came down for the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, and left a little note on the water that we happened to retrieve. In this letter, she introduced herself, and shared a few of her interests, one of which being possibly coming to college in DC. As Howard graduates, my friend and I were excited to have this new opportunity to help guide a young girl through the last couple years of high school.
In that letter, she included her email address. Naturally, we had to reach out and connect with her. After just a couple days of us sending her an email, she responded with a very detailed explanation of who she is and some of her interests. We found her to be a very vibrant and energetic girl who likes to write. She had so much to tell us and we enjoyed reading all five single-spaced pages of it. In that lengthy email, she revealed her love for English and her interest in music. She named a few of the colleges that she’s interested in attending, Howard University being one of them.
That Saturday, as we celebrated 50 years since the March on Washington, I had an additional cause for happiness. I had been given an opportunity to mentor a young girl. And although she’s not in close proximity of me, I plan to keep in contact with her as she embarks on this journey through her last years of high school and into the future to be the next leader of tomorrow.
What has been your most interesting encounter with a potential mentee?
-Aliyah
