Graduate School is unlike any other schooling. For those who have not gone, it may be a bit hard to comprehend. I have to say...it was one of the most difficult experiences that I have had in life (thus far). The past two years was filled with a lot of tears, and no..not from joy! I spent a lot of class time feeling very lonely. Like no one understand me, like why they just don't get it!! As a first generation college grad, it was also very difficult for me to express my frustration to my family. For them, all they know is...Raven does school, she's good at it, so this is a "piece of cake." However, it wasn't! I have to say...it really challenged me. Although I despise most of my time in graduate school, I know that I have grown from the process.
I also wanted to share the piece that I wrote for the closing remarks during my program's ceremony. I received so many compliments and said i was "inspiring"...I am humbled by my accomplishments, but anxious for what the future has in store for me:
Closing Remarks
I didn't know what I would say today, I mean the expectation of Raven Willoughby is that she if not anyone definitely has something to say lol
"raven, what chu getting again" " yea so that mean you can put initials behind your name now" "that's a MA?" these are the questions I get ..followed by mere admiration and a sense of pride...
Pride in one of their's... Someone from where they are from... Has made it! This graduate education has meant more than an accomplishment for myself; however it is an accomplishment for my family, friends and Oakland... They say "you've made it" "you've beat the odds"... Sometimes I have a hard time internalizing that... So I have to take a moment and relive...
I recall my Sankofa tattoo...It's an West African Symbol that means... You have to know we're you come from in order to know where you are going...
I come from a single parent home, a mom with a 9th grade education, a town plague with violence, schools with no motivating teachers... I also come from a mom who prioritized her children's education, a town thats dear to my heart, a school where many believed in my success... So wen they say I beat the odds... I also say, those odds shaped me! Although it was my struggle.. It propelled me to achieve
... I want us to take a moment and reflect... Reflect on the past two years... On the joys and new experiences... But most importantly lets recognize the struggle. Sometimes the struggle can weigh us down so much that we'd like to forget it... And I say don't forget it.... Commemorate it! Love it! Put it on the pedestal... It was the struggle that got us through... It was the struggle that built consciousness and it will the the struggle that pushes us forward
Now I can get bogged down with the "ohh but I'm still working on my thesis... This "struggle" isn't over" ... Yea and that's true... However we must not forget that we've made it too this point... Where many have not seen, where many were faced with the struggle and could not withstand...where many will not have the opportunity to be exposed to this level of knowledge building
As I stand here and dig deep into my thoughts... I think hard... Think hard about the words... What are the words, what are the words that will... Empower! To Bring the work of our collegue Angelica into the room...she would say we don't empower.. People have power, we just assist with "letting this power out"..!!
So as community developers with power... I only ask that we be conscious of this power... That we not abuse this power... And that we share this power with those most in need
I want to say thank you to all my colleagues who were soundboards for one another... When things got rough and when we had new ideas... I want to say thank you to the faculty and the staff who has helped to develop and nurture us as academics
So I say congratulations to you all... And when asked "so, what's next?"... It's okay too take a moments and respond "I'm still soaking up this accomplishment... So let me live a little bit"
I'll leave you with these last words: remember to love, remember to laugh and forever inspire!
Thank you
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