Black Lives Matter Personal Statement

Some people in elementary school knew they wanted to be doctors. Classmates of mine in middle school expressed their desires to become teachers. And yet for freshman year me, I had no idea what my future would hold—and I was terrified. I had done decently academically, managed to swim without drowning, and could muster a couple songs on the violin. But in a larger sense, it often felt like I was going through the motions, living another day just to do so. I had no real passion, and as cliché as it sounds, my own perception of my success was determined by my grades.

However, through an organization called the Junior Statesmen of America, my values were questioned through debate every Friday at the library. JSA is the largest student run-organization in the United States, aiming to increase civic engagement through debate. Is human nature fundamentally corrupt? Should people be accountable for inaction in the face of injustice? Is Black Lives Matter a detriment to the civil rights movement? I found that

While JSA seeks to engage students in debate, I wanted more. I wanted to actually be involved in the civic processes and see the action. In January of this year, a few of my friends and I launched the Campaign for a Better Naperville Flag. We sought to change the poorly-fitting flag of our humble city into a banner that would be a source of pride for our community. I learned just about every step of a grassroots campaign, from talking with our local city council, to finding community sponsors, to writing press releases and eventually many newspaper interviews. In the few months since the Campaign’s conception, I’ve learned more about the civic process than I had in a whole semester in middle school. I can honestly say that promoting our initiative has been one of the most worthwhile experiences in my life, and it inspires me to make a difference every