My Pursuit Of Change

Throughout the countless pages of history, there exists many occurrences of change. Some of these changes are positive while others are negative. Nevertheless, as each change occurs, it must undergo struggles to become accepted. One example of the struggles of change that is seen in today’s society is the ongoing fight for religious freedom. Another change that is currently facing obstacles is the fight to change policies that raise the question of equality. Lastly, another struggle for change is the conflict that is occurring in order to make same-sex marriage legal. Through the examples of all these changes, there exists the common factor of changing values. As values change, new changes are undertaken. Therefore, changing values entail

Have you ever wondered how some people enact change? Mother Jones protested for child labor laws. Melba integrated a white high school in order to get rid of racism. Nelson Mandela joined South Africa’s congress to help racism. They all persevered to enact change, but they took different approaches for their problems.

As my high school career ends, I notice increasingly how much life that I have yet to live and the opportunities available to me in the years ahead. The past four years have been great preparation for my future endeavors, but college is the path leading to my full potential. In order to reach the end of this path, I utilize my most valuable trait—determination—to set short and long-term goals and achieve them. It is with this “can do” spirit—like the one my grandpa, a former Navy Seabee, evinces through his stories—that I have set my personal goals: to volunteer my time in service to others, further develop leadership skills through experiential learning, and excel at my school work no matter how challenging it may seem. Though these may

Federal Judge Skelly Wright and James Farmer, saw the difficulty in change. Both of which knew which change comes a ton of backlash, and both of them knew in order to create change, you must speak out, and let others hear your voice. Skelly Wright had made the decision to desegregate New Orlean Schools which in this time period was racially something that was heavily disagreed on. While Farmer had almost been shot. Both of which had powered through this hate to become who they are today. These sources show that in order for people to create change, which can take a long time, they must speak what they feel, and ignore the backlash that might come to them.

The Little Rock Nine wouldn't have desegregated central if Thurgood Marshall did not win the court hearing for Brown Vs The Board Of Education. Thurgood Marshall made the Little Rock Nine integration become true when he won the hearing at the court. This shows how ordinary people need leaders to help them so they can get what they want. They may say that the Little Rock Nine did most of the work but the desegregation would not have happened if Thurgood Marshall had not help them achieve their goal. This shows that at times leaders triumph over the ordinary

Federal Judge Skelly Wright and James Farmer, saw the difficulty in change. Both of which knew with change comes a ton of backlash, and both of them knew in order to create change, you must speak out, and let others hear your voice. Skelly Wright had made the decision to desegregate New Orlean Schools which in this time period was racially something that was heavily disagreed on. While Farmer had almost been shot. Both of which had powered through this hate to become who they are today. These sources show that in order for people to create change, which can take a long time, they must speak what they feel, and ignore the backlash that might come to them.

Change is defined as “more or become different”. In order to move in the right path for the future you have to do something different. Leaders recognize this often, and this is why they call for change. In the words of Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr “change is essential to life; be willing to surrender what you are to what you can become“. Both Sojourner Truth and Abraham Lincoln had to take a chance to call people to action. Truth’s speech most effectively inspired people to action be being able to meet her audience, pathos, and logos.

Many people want to change America, but only a few people accomplish that goal. However, I intend to go beyond just changing America. I intend to change lives.

​In life, there are periods of transition in which individuals often face daunting challenges or obstacles. Overcoming these challenges at pivotal points of transition can impel the individual to develop essential character qualities and skills for surmounting adversity. My transition into high school was momentous. Here I knew that the decisions I made would likely have a strong impact on my future. Therefore, I had to be meticulous about the extracurricular activities I wanted to be involved in. This mindset allowed me to stay focused and determined because I wasn't fixated on going to the next party or the new music that was out. I cared solely about the legacy I left behind. That is why I decided to run for student government at the end of my sophomore year. The election

The future is a frightening place, and for eighteen years of your life you are encouraged to envision the most successful version of yourself, molded into the most predictive form of the future you, and given the utensils you will need to make that aspiration tangible. For eighteen years of my life I’ve been driven by my aspiration and determination to do better— to learn better, to overcome my environment, to give back to the community that raised me. I’ve strived to make a difference because, in order to be successful, your educational choices will not be the only deciding factor, rather your life choices will, too. Cheyney University has accepted my decision to be a source of change as a product of their institution, and the Keystone Honors

In the grand picture of life, I will forever be a student; learning and adapting through my growth process. There is an apparent need for change based on the current state of affairs in the world. The onus for the required change does not fall on others, but instead on individuals. “Be the change you wish to see in the world” is a common quote referenced to Mahatma Gandhi. Although, not his exact words, the paraphrasing holds the same sentiment: our individual improvement holds the capability to inspire others in their own improvement - change.

“The shortest path to oneself leads around the world.” So, wrote German philosopher Count Hermann Keyserling, who believed that travel was the best way to discover who you are.

Bryan Stevenson is a public interest lawyer who has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated and the belittled. Through each case he resists against incarceration and abuse. Each person he meets, Stevenson acknowledges and educates people on the prison system, how to take stand and resist against mass incarceration and abuse even if you do not match the same

For 31 years I’ve navigated life by thoughtfully determining how I can improve myself, my future, and my relationships, while positively impacting others. A common theme is identifying relationships and opportunities I’m passionate about, capturing, and making the most of them.

So, now that we've begun to understand that we don't have to be the center of attention in order to lead meaningful and successful lives, perhaps we can begin to simply exist and along the way create some pretty significant impacts? Because, "Success," as Gustav Flaubert put it, "is a result, not a goal." So, let our motivation be to simply live while keeping in mind that in order to obtain success we don't have to make fools out of