All my life I have grappled with balancing my two different identities. At home I am shrouded with a rich African culture and, until I came to Episcopal, I lived a different life at school. At my former school, I was a more restrained and docile version of myself. I was respectful, hard-working, and tolerant. I also happened to be the only African-American girl in my grade and one of the few Black girls in my entire school. That’s right, I was the ‘token Black friend.’

For a while it felt normal to lead two lives. I was ignorant of my erratic behavior because it was all I had ever known. As I got older, my identity became so much harder to define. I stuck out like a sore thumb. At home, I was called an ‘oreo’ because I did not fit into the mold of the typical Black girl and I attended a ‘snobby’ private school. At school, I felt pressure to become the Black voice of my grade. When we talked about slavery, all eyes would gravitate to me. When we referenced Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement, students would always smile and tell me that I was lucky to go to school with them.

I pictured my arrival at Episcopal as a vessel that would smoothen out all of the wrinkles and imperfections I had developed during my childhood. Unfortunately, this was not my reality. I was still surrounded by White students, but this time they exuded ‘Southern hospitality.’ I continued to restrain my inner self and I even changed the way I spoke, adopting phrases like ‘y’all’ in order to blend in. To make things worse, I had not formed connections with many of the Black students in my grade.

One day, I was invited to an affinity meeting for Black students on campus. Although I was apprehensive, I agreed to attend the meeting, mainly because I heard there would be food. At the meeting, I saw all of my Black classmates socializing and having fun. In my mind, I was dreading having to awkwardly insert myself into one of their conversations. Fortunately, I was greeted with warmth and excitement when I entered the room. All of the Black classmates who I had deemed exclusive opened their arms out to me and from that moment, I knew I had found my safe haven.

Last year I was asked to be the president of the School’s Black Student Alliance. Accepting the position was an honor because it demonstrates the progress I have made during my time at Episcopal. The creation of our Black Student Alliance marks the beginning of a new era in our School’s history. Since integration, many Black students have come and gone, but now they will be able to be heard and make a change. Additionally, we strive to integrate the cultures of the African Diaspora into our school community. This will not only educate our campus but it will also create mutual understanding between students. I am excited for the opportunity to build confidence in Black students at Episcopal, and to watch them grow into great leaders.