My name is Joseph Mora. I like basketball and would like to become a pro in the NBA, but if that does not work out I would like to become a scientist. No matter what, I want to go to college to pursue something I can go pro in.

My favorite book is the John Lewis series March because it educated me about the Civil Rights Movement and how John Lewis focused his life on the need for persistent, nonviolent action to achieve “jobs, dignity, and freedom” and build a “Beloved Community.” My favorite civil rights activist is Martin Luther King Jr. and my favorite MLK quote is “The time is always right to do what is right.” But my hero is my mom because she works hard and sacrifices to give my sisters and me what we need.

This fall I joined BK2BAMA, a program that develops young leaders who embrace the responsibilities of citizenship. With BK2BAMA I have learned more about the Civil Rights Movement and the South’s hidden history. We meet twice a week for discussions after school and field trips around New York City, and in April will visit Alabama and Georgia to meet with veterans of the Civil Rights Movement and visit historic sites. BK2BAMA has required me to be extra responsible because I still need to keep up with my homework despite being busier.

I want to go to Alabama and Georgia to learn about different cultures and religions, try new food, and understand what it was like to live through the Civil Rights Movement. The part of the trip I’m most excited about is touring Atlanta’s Auburn Avenue, including MLK’s Birth Home, the King Center, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) headquarters, a Madam C.J. Walker salon, and the original WERD radio studio, where America’s first Black-owned radio station was.