Graduation is a special time for everyone. All students get this sense of accomplishment, this “I did it” feeling. But what is “it” exactly. For most students, it’s the completion of school. “It” is being able to move on to the next step. “It” is feeling older, wiser and more accomplished. For African American students “it” is that and so much more.
For us, “it” is defying stereotypes, being the first in your family to make it that far, overcoming every obstacle thrown at you, working ten times harder than your non-black classmates for half the reward. "It" is showing everyone that told you couldn’t do it they were wrong, making the sacrifices of those who fought for your right to get this education worth it and simply living to see the day.
You often hear people jokingly say “mama, I made it.” This term, though used jokingly, really is very powerful. It symbolizes everything that graduation means to black students. Mama, your hard work and sleepless nights were worth it. Mama, I didn’t become a sad statistic. Mama, I did it for those who couldn’t. Mama, I didn’t let the pressure get to me, I let it motivate me. Mama, this is for all those times I wanted to give up, and you convinced me not to.
I remember having these feelings at my high school graduation. At my school, we have a tradition that each graduate has an alumni sponsor. When the student receives their diploma and walks off stage. their sponsor is waiting to hand them an alumni pin. This exchange marks the student officially becoming an alumni of the school. My sponsor was my mother because she had graduated from that high school as well. My name was called. I walked up received and my diploma. As I am walking off stage, I see my mom waiting for me. She was crying as she handed me my pin and told me “Congratulations, you are officially an alumna of Rosati-Kain high school.” She hugged me and whispered “You made it baby.” Hearing that made it so real for me because I realized that I really did make it.
Hearing your name and walking up to receive that diploma is much more than final being done with school. For African American students, it's becoming the dream realized.
