Open Letter From the AHS Board to the Hamilton Scholars & Alumni known lovingly as “the Hammies”:
In the late summer afternoon, we stood on the crowded sidewalk outside of JFK International Arrivals waiting for Uncle Kojo to walk out, his plane had recently landed from Ghana. I looked up at dad, squinting a bit as the setting sun was right behind him. He was obviously excited as he held my baby brother and looked back down at me with his huge smile, at the time I was no more than eight years old. We began to hear a commotion approaching through the crowd, as people began to be jostled and agitated by something, it soon became clear that it was the police. The police seemed to be trying to disperse the crowd that had gathered outside of the airport. For reasons that will never be clear to me, a cop decided to lock onto my dad asking him to leave. My father in his quiet yet firm way, explained to the officer that it was his brother’s first time coming to the States and the plan was for him to meet at this spot before leaving the airport. (This was before the proliferation of cell phones) The cop was not interested in my father’s explanation and was a bit irritated by his refusal to follow his orders. He remarked sternly, “If you don’t clear out, I will arrest you.” My father laughed and stated, “We’re surrounded by all of these people not leaving and you’re going to arrest me because my sons and I are waiting with for my brother, who has no idea where he’s going? I will gladly leave this area once everyone else starts leaving as well.” As my father handed me my baby brother, he was taken and handcuffed in front of me. I watched on helplessly crying, as more and more officers showed up, not understanding why this was happening. As my father went back and forth with the officers, my uncle somehow found us in the chaos. They eventually released my father however, that moment scarred me, forever influencing my perception of how I viewed police, how I would interact with them, and how I perceived some of them viewed Black men. These perceptions continued to be reinforced over the years as I grew up through direct personal experiences, shared stories, and media coverage. Today, over thirty years later, it saddens me to think nothing has really changed and other eight year olds may end up with the same scars that I had to grow up with. That moment was foundational in my current drive and desire to improve the world around me.
The Alexander Hamilton Scholars (AHS) vision is to directly influence you all as leaders of character who will improve our nation and our world through your service, innovation, and excellence.
This is no easy feat and it is considerably harder when you are operating as a part of a society that is systematically rooting against you. As a first generation American, I grew up in a household with an Antiguan mother and a Ghanaian father who both made certain my siblings and I had a holistic view of the world. This meant exposing us to different cultures and ways of thinking that were often in stark contrast to the close-minded institutions I learned from growing up. I have come to understand that these institutions in many ways taught us how to “cover” elements of who we are in order to simply survive in society.
“Coming from a multicultural family I had a supplementary education of what wasn’t taught in classrooms… [In classrooms] you were taught to relate to people who weren’t taught to relate to you”
For so many of you, the world is suddenly waking up to what you’ve already been dealing with your entire lives… structural racism that is strongly interwoven into the fabric of American society. Dr. Tricia Rose, an American sociologist and Brown University professor of Africana Studies has a phenomenal lecture on “How Structural Racism Works.” Dr. Rose focuses on five fundamental areas (though she admits there are others) where structural racism is highly dynamic and consequential upon quality of life, sense of safety & security, and the opportunities afforded to us as a part of society. These five fundamental areas are: Housing, Education, Mass Media, Wealth / Jobs, and Criminal Justice.
Thinking about how to have an impact for the better while looking at each of these areas unto themselves is overwhelming, let alone as a collective. I’ll be honest though, as I’ve gotten to know some of you over the two years I have been a part of the AHS board, I’m full of inspiration and hope for the future as I reflect on the multitude of life and career paths that each of you are creating for yourselves.
“A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King [Jr] or Mahatma Gandhi to come back - but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you. “
-Marian Wright Edelman
Using the AHS vision, I want to share some words of wisdom with each of you as you face society and work to create positive change in the nation and the world:
Service – Never stop serving, no matter what.
Your strong sense of service will carry you to places you may never have imagined before. It is a big part of how you become a “Hammie,” and it will be an undeniable necessity as you continue to carry forward in the world. As I’ve navigated my path, I have made certain to always find ways to leverage my skills and God-given talents in support of and in service to others, and especially to underrepresented minorities. This is true, both in my personal and professional life. This is without a doubt extra work and may sometimes feel like a heavy burden, but know that it’s beyond worth it. Additionally, how can we expect others to lean in and create change if we ourselves aren’t doing the work? Whether you choose to dedicate your energies and passions in the field of education, medicicne, politics, arts, business, law, engineering or other areas, please take time to reflect and be purposeful on where you choose to focus your time and energy in service and activism. I commit to you all that I will never stop serving and I hope you join me in that commitment.
Innovation – Don’t be discouraged, stopped, or silenced by the scoffs, nay-sayers, or “no’s”.
Due to your unique position, thoughts, and perspectives you will see the world very differently than the majority. That’s a superpower, lean into it. Think about how you can leverage that lens to improve upon the world around you, help the majority see problems and solutions they cannot currently see. Despite colleagues telling me that it “wouldn’t happen,” I have been able to influence my employer to create partnerships that they didn’t previously have that could help with both underrepresented minority recruitment and retention. In one case it took me almost three years to accomplish, so it can be hard, but it is possible. Dr. Willie Jolley has a saying that I absolutely love, “every setback is a setup for a comeback”. Embrace the challenges that may come up as innovation rings in your mind, and use those challenges to improve upon your ideas. Over time you will find that challengers can become both enablers and your greatest allies. I commit to you all that I am open to discuss any innovative ideas that come from this community and to help find ways that AHS can improve its impact for this community.
It took hard work to get where you are today, be proud and recognize that you will continue to grow in ways that will amaze yourself in the future… more dopeness is coming for each of you! As you engage with the world be gracious, because as you continue your journey you will inevitably come across people who may not be, do not stoop to their level, but hold yourself to the ‘Michele Obama standard:’ “when they go low, we go high.” Grace is such a powerful tool, especially in bringing people along a difficult journey. Be humble, no matter how far you go or how much you know, life is a powerful teacher and equalizer. It’s important that you maintain a growth mindset and show others love and respect in all that you do. Be ready, opportunities will present themselves to you at times when you may least expect it, and in forms that you may not always recognize. Meet these opportunities with an open mind, and do not shy away from them especially if they can help you grow within the walk and passions each of you have chosen. I commit to you that as a board, we will continue to uphold the mission of AHS to provide resources to help you succeed in college and career.
Recognize that the AHS Board stands with you:
We are troubled, frightened, and angered by the slayings of members of the Black community, including the recent unjustified killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Rayshard Brooks.
We are disappointed and saddened by the health care system inequities that have disproportionately impacted Black, Hispanic/Latin(x), and Native American communities.
We are bothered by the anti-Asian racism fueled by inflammatory language used to describe the COVID-19 global pandemic.
We are dismayed that even in today’s world we have federal and state governments reversing policy protections and progress previously made for the LGBTQIA+ communities.
We are appalled by the treatment of immigrant Latin(x) families, and the division of families with no plan for reunification on our borders.
We are saddened by the attempts to take control of tribal lands in the interest of creating more wealth for the wealthy with no regard to tribal sovereignty and ownership.
In closing, know that we don’t only stand with you, but know we are also prepared to do the hard work alongside you. We will continue to use our voice, influence, and resources to chip away at the systemic racism and other issues that exist in our society and will do our best to continue supporting all the transformational endeavors you embark upon. My hope is that someday, thanks to the work we do, we will no longer have these avoidable situations that scar eight year old children. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your exceptional life journeys.
