Family First

My grandmother is my biggest inspiration in life. She is incredibly hard working and full of energy. She taught me as early as I can remember to maintain a good sense of humour even when times can be tough and her bold actions inspire everyone around her every day. She was raised with twelve other siblings, so she was never encouraged to attend college. She got married at eighteen years old, had her first child at nineteen and was a stay at home mom for fifteen years. My grandfather was in the army for a few of these years, and sent money home.
When she was thirty-five, my Grandmother made the decision to go back to work full time. Without a college education or much experience, she landed a job as a Wells Fargo teller. She wanted my uncles and my mom to have the best life they could. She worked for five years and eventually she became the vice president of her location and moved to a nicer neighborhood with her family. Though her transition from not working at all to working full time was hard on her and her family, she made the right decision that greatly benefited them financially. Her decision allowed her to support her family and provide them everything they needed to thrive and more. Her actions have wordlessly taught me to always think my decisions through. At first glance, going back to working full time must have seemed like a horrible idea to leave her family, but as she thought it through, she found what she needed to do to support her family. After working for twenty-nine years at Wells Fargo, She retired and had fulfilled everything she had ever wanted for her family; accomplished all with her dedication and hard work. Growing up with twelve siblings brought her family to her consideration when she thought about her future, and though I do not have twelve siblings, her actions inspire me to always think about my family before making large decisions.

Her decision was in the back of my mind when moving. I did not want to relocate two hours away in the middle of jr. high, but it was all worth it to see my grandparents more. My family is a huge part of my life. I could not even imagine what type of person I would be without my grandmother’s influence. I was hesitant and unhappy to move from a huge city to a small town, but I always knew that I would see my grandparents more. Sure enough, we went from seeing my grandparents only during breaks, to seeing them a few times a week. My bond with them is closer than ever, and it is the reason I was willing to move.

My Time at the Museum of Tolerance

The bright colors of Los Angeles faded as we walked in through the museum's doors. The lobby was pristine, and though I expected to see more about the holocaust, it was almost empty besides a few shelving units. Our tour guide greeted us with a solemn stare and warned us about what was going to be witnessed when we followed him to the exhibit. The spiral we ventured down represented the time between the present and World War II, and everything in-between. The spiral was a piece of architecture I had never witnessed previously, and it was decorated with photo after photo of holocaust survivors. I could not even imagine what their eyes had seen. The museum started off very subtle and informative, and then it came to incredibly intense exhibits and even buildings that were specific to the time period, including a gas chamber.

Being informed about history is very important. Teaching millennials about what truly happened can prevent racist mindsets to resurface in violent ways. We should teach them to not be weakened by wars or poverty, and to not give into figures of power promising violence toward anyone. As our tour guide said, history repeats itself, but informing can help prevent it.

Civil War RAFT

Black Union Soldier

His Children/Mother

Friendly Letter

“My Thoughts on the Civil War”

My Mother, 

The civil war has stolen my comrades lives. Their families live in suffering, though as we began to fight for our freedom we knew the consequences would be deadly. They die of sickness and of wounds. Though some wounds may be small to view, I am forced to watch The Union die during ineffective surgeries. I may wish that the war was not taking place all together, but I will fight for my freedom and my family's, and the new generations'.  The battlefield is a gruesome place, I have to fight and run around and beside bodies of fallen soldiers. A fellow black solider has been teaching me many things between battles, such as proper grammar. Though, I don't believe that I will ever have a use for it, sadly. When I fled to the South, I underestimated the horror of war. But when the battle took my brother, that was it. I was tired of the war, but I will get you freedom, even if it costs me my life. 

Love,

Your son.