University of Missouri

What it means to be black in America to me is – I don’t know if you can encompass that with one word. There are a lot of things that run through my head when I hear that question: strength, power, struggle, fight, uplifting, unique, and proud. It’s a great feeling to know that you wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the efforts and the things that people did prior to us. It really gives you a sense of pride for that, that people were able to stand up for what was right in the face of so much adversity. And to have that history, to have that legacy, it’s a great feeling to know that there’s been a foundation laid down for us that we kind of have to uphold and live by.