My name is Aissata. I attend Bedford Stuyvesant Collegiate, but am going to graduate this spring. I am of African descent. My mom is Guinean and my dad is Ivorian. Our culture is vibrant and diverse. Our clothes are beautiful, and our food is flavorful. Fun fact, my ancestors were kings and queens. My favorite book is Percy Jackson because it reminds me of growing up in New York. I also think it’s cool to learn about Greek mythology. Percy Jackson is fascinating and deals with the pain and trauma kids endure.

My parents are my heroes. They came from another country not knowing the language at all but adjusted in their own ways. To this day they work so hard for my sister and me. I really appreciate them. When I grow up I want to become a neurosurgeon and traveling doctor because there’s lots of people dying from brain tumors. In poor countries in particular, people often don’t have the resources they deserve. As a traveling doctor, I’d try to fix that.

My favorite civil rights figure is Medgar Evers because he’s one of the reasons Black people don’t face as much discrimination as they used to, but doesn’t always get the credit he deserves. He worked tirelessly to promote equality and justice for African Americans, especially in Mississippi. His contribution and sacrifices continue to inspire people like me today.

I joined BK2BAMA to learn more about what my people went through from the 1400s through the present, both the horrors and triumphs. So far I’ve already gone on multiple field trips around New York with BK2BAMA and this April we’re traveling to Alabama or Georgia to visit important sites and meet with veterans of the Civil Rights Movement. This experience will help me build a better future for Black people and people of color in general. I’m especially excited to go to Alabama to learn more about slavery and the Jim Crow Era. We just started studying Booker T. Washington in history, so I can’t wait to visit Tuskegee University, the HBCU he founded. I also can’t wait to speak with foot soldiers of the Movement that experienced the injustice of Jim Crow firsthand and took action to end it.