Dear Ancestors

Dear Ancestors,

Thank you for the struggle to make a better way for me.

In this day and time I believe that we all have just lost sight and its just the blind leading the blind. Lessons and challenges I have been faced with would be the lack of love sometimes displayed by my own people. We can't seem to come together to talk about our problems. I plan to overcome this obstacle by not becoming another statistic, by not blaming my insecurities on the world and by helping the world as I see fit. I feel that people have lost hope and turned their backs on one another. I feel that we really need help as a nation to be able to reach out.

I don't want to think that all of your work was in vain, but it seems that a lot of your work is being forgotten. Still, I want to thank you. I will try to use your legacy to help encourage and nurture my people back to a stable place to the best of my ability.

Sincerely yours,

Mykia

(Mykia Robbins, 9th Grade)

Dear Ancestors

Dear Ancestors,

I just want to let you know that all of your hard work didn't go to waste. I feel like I am standing and walking along the road to success, a road that you paved. Although the farthest back that anyone can trace is to my great great grandmother, I feel like you guys are in my presence and in my soul. I really do not have much to say other than thank you. I say thank you because you guys fought to give me the things that you could not have in the past. You created the opportunities that I have today, that I take advantage of.

One thing that I will make sure of in the future is that my children will have the same values that I have today. They are values that you passed down through the generations to me. So, once again, I want to say thanks for everything. One day, far in the future, I will see you in Heaven.

Love,

Daquavius

(Daquavius Gilliam, 9th Grade)

Barbados Dreams

My mother's family is from Barbados. Although I have not yet been there, my mother has told me stories about the place. My mom has a picture of herself in Barbados. It's a nice place, I've heard. My family talks about the blue water and drinks they have there, things like cocount water and mango juice. One of my friends is from Barbados, and he has told me a lot about it. This summer I plan to go and want to take two friends.

What do I imagine Barbados to be like? I think it has nice people and that it's a place where people party all night, relax on the beautiful beaches and sleep in nice beds that would make a person never want to come back to Atlanta.

People who see my afro and my smooth, dark skin ask me what I'm mixed with. At first, I didn't know what to say, but eventually my mom told me about my ancestry. I was happy. When I have kids I want them to be from Barbados. I can't wait to go.

(Braxton Mitchell, 12th Grade)