"Success" by Ashley S-T

Malcolm X, the most prominent and militant of social reformers during the Civil Rights
movement, faced nightmarish bouts of adversity throughout his life, first in the form of inherent racism, and then for simply wishing to protect and unite the black community against said racism. Despite this, Malcolm expressed optimism and militancy towards his cause and refused to relent in what appeared, at the time, to be a hopeless uphill battle. Regarding said matter, Malcolm X stated, “There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.” Albeit my day-to-day struggles appearing miniscule in comparison, I recently became aware of the fact that I am faced with the same uphill battle of adversity; the political state of the nation I will come of age in is divisive, toxic, exclusive, and dictated solely by the corrupt nature of capitalism paired with the complacent nature of our citizens. One of the many prominent flaws in U.S. society is gun culture, an issue that our elected officials have failed to address in a momentous and productive manner since it originally surfaced, in 1999 at the Columbine High School Massacre. After nearly two decades worth of similar events, leading up to the most recent mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, my fellow classmates and I felt a call to action and were faced with opposition from nearly every adult that became aware of our plans to participate in the National School Walkout. Although I was faced with the fiercest antagonism of my young

life in the months of planning the walkout, I remained firm in my efforts, campaigned relentlessly, and refused to accept no for an answer, thus allowing me to be successful in igniting a conversation among my peers and elected officials surrounding gun culture in the U.S. 

 

One of the greatest challenges throughout the organization process was opposition from our administrators, who are subconsciously problematic in their very profession, as they perpetuate the prison-like atmosphere on campus that stifles all independent thought from students and thus was quick in its efforts to stifle ours. It wasn’t long until EHS administration had interjected itself into the March 14th Walkout, draining it of student input and replacing it with the melodramatic nature of drama students and alt-right Trump supporters, completely excluding the planning committee from the deliberation process, as well as the final event. The previously addressed Malcolm X faced similar opposition and his Christian counterpart, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., even in death has been sanitized to meet the standards of the administration of this country. With this in mind, I reminded myself of the courage it requires to impact change, according to every great leader to walk the earth, and I utilized the threats to my freedom of thought as motivation to continue to disrupt the natural flow that administration serves to protect. 

Although we faced opposition from outside forces, the most threatening opposition was that from within; our committee found ourselves in a divided state, one that can also be observed in the Civil Rights movement. I felt that I was not being acknowledged for all of my talents and properly utilized to strengthen the movement, as I continuously found myself fighting to gain the floor from another, equally qualified, committee member. It took several conversations with my mentor (Dr. Torie Weiston) for me to understand that my pride was not worth dismantling a

movement, and that before I could lead, I must learn to serve. This realization is not a new one, as I have struggled with it for years- it simply came with a real-life scenario in which I was forced to recognize the real-life consequences I would face if I failed to make a change. With this, I took time to reconsider my motivations and belief system, and emerged with a new sense of understanding of what it means to lead; I stepped down from the pedestal I had placed myself on and began to listen to understand, rather than to react. Additionally, during our discussions, Dr. Weiston helped me to call to mind the opposition from U.S. society that painted a picture of the Civil Rights movement in which Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were opponents in activism rather than partners; I was reminded that divided movements are crippled movements, and with this my leadership ability and understanding of activism was strengthened. 

 

The most discouraging trial in the weeks leading up to the walkout was being faced with the cynicism, ignorance, and complacency of my peers. It seemed that I was facing a never-ending crowd of hecklers and cynics, whose existences were not inflamed by rage at the current state of union, but rather had come to accept the sickening aspects of our country as commonplace. It was humiliating and infuriating to see people throw our flyers on the floor and post degrading comments on social media regarding our efforts, however this seemed like a nominal price to pay when aspects of other social movements are taken into account- we were not being beaten or arrested, our lives not being threatened. Therefore, I had little difficulty coping with this challenge- it was the perpetuation of misinformation among the youth that I was attempting to educate that was the most demoralizing. Students spoke on topics they had never read about or researched, and gave each statement as fact, leaving no room for correction or additional information. When faced with this challenge, I simply accepted that a growth mindset

cannot be forced, but must be taught and practiced. I remained patient, and though I occasionally became weary and thus unkind to those who had no wish to expand their knowledge, I was provided with this opportunity to practice the ideals I preach as my personal philosophy. Due to this, I acquired information about the mindset of America’s youth and became empathetic to the individual perspectives of my fellow students, allowing me to strengthen my own growth mindset. 

I am faced with adversity on a day-to-day basis, whether the challenge be school related or a matter of my personal life, however none of these matters measure up to the impactful nature of my experience organizing the Etiwanda Walkout. My ability to overcome the adversity of having adults threaten my right to free thought, of struggling with my sense of self, and of learning to respect my peers despite the perspectives they hold, has been monumental in my growth as an individual. Through every step of the way, I learned something new about myself, my peers, and my country; I learned to adapt, problem-solve, think critically, speak with tact, and act with courage for the sake of reaching my goal. Regardless of the seemingly humble nature of this experience, I can state with certainty that when stepping out of my classroom on April 20th, 2018, to see a crowd of students unapologetically preparing to march to City Hall, all united under their passion and led by our committee, I experienced my first taste of true success.