Years passed and I entered Ramsay High School. At this school, I knew I would find quality instructors to teach me lessons, but I was set to learn life lessons as well. In my sophomore year, I joined SpeakFirst Debate team and learned more about how to articulate my point about a wide range of topics. This program was set to gear students towards college, but honestly that wasn’t something to which I was looking forward. I didn’t want to go anywhere I would have to embrace change. SpeakFirst was something that should have gotten more attention than the homicides and violence that graced the news headlines every day. This program sent my graduating class and will send future graduating classes of the program to any of the three colleges in the University of Alabama system on a full tuition scholarship. Birmingham has granted me so much opportunity. I talked to my mother about the announcement of the scholarship over the phone after the meeting. “Mom, they announced we would get full scholarships to college for SpeakFirst!” I could almost hear her smile through the phone, “I am so proud of you,” she said. At that point the tears from my heart used my eyes as a medium to come through and I cried. My heart smiled. This meant more to me than just a way to further my education. It was a way for me to do so without placing the financial obligations on my mom.
When I was freshman at UA, I was convinced after a month I just couldn’t stay. I felt like a speck of sand across the beach, because there were so many people. I wanted to go back to the place I called home, but then I would have been quitting the chance to see a more global world. I am very aware there is a world outside of my safe haven, and that is why I pursued my education. Birmingham has given me tears, photographic moments atop the mountain and beautiful people in my life. It has given me good friendships and bad breakups. It has granted me the opportunity to attend college through the SpeakFirst program, but most of all it has given me the desire to give to the city all it has given to me. I believe my grandmother’s statement encompasses the true essence of southern culture and hospitality. There is so much in a smile and a wave and that’s what you get here in Birmingham alongside some good food and even better stories. It took me going away to truly realize Birmingham is more than just a city, for me, Birmingham is home.
Tribute to my city!
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