The earliest memories I have are of hearing people shout, “Red and blue lights!” and seeing cop cars on every corner. As a kid, I thought this was normal. At an early age, however, I started noticing my peers being corrupted like child soldiers in Africa. I saw some of my best friends getting initiated into gangs, taught to carry guns, and start using and selling illegal substances. I knew then that my “normal” was not “right.” I knew I had to be a change for my community if I wanted future generations to grow up in an environment where first memories aren't related to sirens and angry or fearful shouts.
Since that realization I have devoted myself to being a force for change in my family and community. My first step in reaching this goal was to distance myself from situations that could lead to peer pressure to engage in negative activities. I struggled with this because all of my friends and family were either gang affiliated or abused illegal substances. I realized it wasn't enough simply to stay away from these people or activities, but I also needed to replace destructive social ties with constructive personal pursuits that made me feel happy and successful as an individual. I started playing drums at church which ignited a passion for music I still hold today. At the same time I also started playing sports and joined a mentoring program that showed me the importance of supporting others and having someone to look up to and guide you.
Despite these positive choices, I still had a lot of stress in my young life. With no father in my life to instill discipline in me, I had to teach myself. Although my mother was physically present, her heroin addiction made her incapable of performing her motherly responsibilities, so I learned how to care for myself as well. On top of my concern for my friends, family, and community members, my thoughts wouldn't let me forget that I was an orphan.
The only way I made it through these times was by using my stress as motivation. Instead of crying or feeling bad about myself like many of my friends and siblings, I joined after school activities. My family frustrated me because they weren't trying to make a positive difference, so rather than admit defeat, I vowed to change myself and the world around me. I became the first member of my family to graduate high school. I managed to maintain a 2.4-3.0 range GPA and a composite score of 17 on the ACT. I believe I could have done even better with a little bit more support, but I still count the results as a major victory for myself and a jumping off point for the rest of my life. To this day I'm thankful for the mentors and positive influences that helped me succeed, but I'm just as thankful for my inner determination that told me to keep trying even when success didn't seem possible. Now I hope to take my accomplishments, my life experiences, and my passion for youth and community development one step further by completing a double major in criminal justice and music production from your prestigious university. I believe with additional skills and training I will be able to create the kind of positive change for youth in urban communities I have been dreaming about my entire life.
Chris' application essay to Northeastern Illinois University
