In this essay, I reflect on the obstacles that I have faced as a student at a public high school in Chicago’s inner city and as an African American female student at a predominantly White college. I delve into my educational and personal experiences, discuss the supports that enabled me to aspire to and prepare for college, and recount the efforts of minority students to make our White peers more aware of what we confront every day. Tackling issues of institutional and overt racism, identity, and growth, this essay traces how I have navigated through both the inner city and the wider society on my path to adulthood.
