My Personal Philosophy and Vision
"It is the task of the enlightened not only to ascend to learning and to see the good but to be willing to descend again to those prisoners and to share their troubles and their honors, whether they are worth having or not. And this they must do, even with the prospect of death. They shall give of their help to one another wherever each class is able to help the community. " - Plato, Allegory of the Cave
We are all capable. However, we are not equal. There are invisible but acknowledge lines of separation concerning social class, economic status, racial privilege and a multitude of other divisive philosophies.
Opportunity is a great equalizer. I am a female and African-American: statistics are not kind to people like me. They are not hopeful, but they are not destiny. While many will speak of bootstraps and playing the victim, they will not speak of the systemic injustices committed against people unfortunate enough not to belong to the majority. Those who are not privileged. Those who are not fortunate.
My responsibility is to create opportunities for children, who like me, were unaware of their ability to do. Furthermore, they have been mislead in believing that there are systems who do not want them to succeed. People who do not want them to succeed.
Opening those doors starts with education, exposure and support. My life goal is to open a boarding school for low-income children with a focus on service, entrepreneurship, and agency. I truly believe that if you are the courageous one who was able to step out of Plato's Cave, you have a responsibility to bring those fellow cave-dwellers out with you into the light. No more puppet masters and no more shadowy figures.
I am committed and invested in creating an educational landscape that is equitable for all, regardless of zip code, class or expectations. I want to join the legions of leaders who have taken on the magnanimous task of ending education inequality and inspire others to join in our fight; I want to live a life of purpose. I want to live a life in service.