"The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you can handle the disappointment along the way”. Being a young African American I have to live my life overcoming obstacles set for me that may not be set for others. I try to keep my goals in sight at all times, from school work to down time. This quote to me was read as a kid and I never lost sight of my goals. I use this as a guideline, basically for success. If I never let the obstacles or anything distract me from my dreams and keep my ambitions drive, I should eventually accomplish every milestone I set for myself.

I was born Aqeel Waleed Baruti VII on May 10, 2001 in Dekalb Medical Center in Atlanta Georgia. I lived the first five years of my life being raised by my mother and father in Georgia. In 2008, my family decided to move to my mother's hometown. When we touched down in Detroit, it was my first time ever being there. But, to my other siblings and mother it was an all too familiar experience.

I attended Ronald Brown Academy upon moving to Detroit. At this point in my life I began to demonstrate intellectual capabilities of a child much older than a five year old. In the first grade I qualified for a 4th grade spelling bee. I was awarded second place and a small trophy. There are many other entertaining academic tales during my days at Ronald Brown Academy, but I will not be able to include them. In the fifth grade I left the school, and was enrolled in Detroit Edison Public School Academy. For high school, I first attended Western International high school, which was a very diverse experience and fun to say the most. In my Tenth Grade year I returned to Detroit Edison and I have been enrolled since then. I have successfully maintained a 3.0 since my return and on my spare time I play with our school’s marching band, ECE’s Marching Sounds of Soul.

In the future I plan on attending an HBCU on an academic and musical scholarship, so that I may work toward earning a degree in Psychology. My piece is about how American Creed has nothing to do with the lives of african american people or other minorities, it only applies to white patriots. Black people don’t have a true identity in this country, we are statistics, you will never see a newscaster going into a poverty stricken neighborhood asking locals about their political views. We are so far removed from that aspect of the U.S that even if it was asked we wouldn’t even know how to answer, the government doesn’t even think to bother teaching us about politics in public schools, even the charter schools that do wouldn’t even get the chance to share their opinions because american creed only applies to whites not african americans. We are two different peoples living in two different realities, somewhere right now a well-off white child is having a discussion with his father about immigration laws. That is his reality, meanwhile an incarcerated black man is telling his son over the phone how to provide for their family. American creed has nothing to do with me. PS the beginning is a copy and pasted random space filler introduction.