These are my special people and family members.
I appreciate everyone in my life, especially my siblings, Sasha and my mom, Yvette; my dad, Koji; my aunts, Tesheka and Nita; and my grandmas, Gussie and Lyn. My parents are often the cornerstone of my family. Especially my mom, who always makes events and plans for our family gatherings in honor of my grandfather. My dad, on the other hand, always tries to plan trips for me and my sister so we can have a fun summer in the countryside. My summer is always full of fun events and parties because of these two, and I am glad that I have these two loving parents. I appreciate them for this and everything they do.
My sister Sasha is bold and extraordinary, and our bond is as sturdy as a house. My sister keeps my emotions in check, especially when I run track on the weekends; one example is when my teammate threw the baton in front of me so we were disqualified. I was very mad at my teammate and yelled at him, but when my sister came running over and hugged me, I calmed down almost instantly. Seeing her care so much for me made me change my attitude, so I apologized because everyone makes mistakes. Thanks to my sister’s calm nature and attitude at the time. I was able to get my mind right and have a better day, and not break a connection with a classmate.
Next are my aunts, Tesheka and Nita. Both of my aunts bring me a warmth that most don’t feel unless you know them well. My aunt Tesheka is a germaphobe. She doesn’t like swimming or anything that involves germs, but she always tries to take me and my sister somewhere fun. But other than that, she is very reliable. Every time I asked if she would take me to basketball practice, she would say yes. She always tries to help and do whatever she can for you, just like my other aunt, Nita. My aunt Nita does the same thing, but she plans parties and fun events for everyone in the family. Especially for graduations, proms, and birthdays, she and my aunts are always there and plan for me and everyone to do big things, knowing that their kids were in the DMSF and made it to college and beyond.
Last but not least, my grandma’s. My grandma, Gussie, let me stay at her house when we were moving in so I could go to school that week. She’s always ready to share family history with me and anyone who asks. Both of my grandmothers are family people and like to share their experiences and connect them to what I’m going through right now. Thanks to that, I am always ready for the challenges ahead. My grandma Lyn is there for me when my mom needs help. My mom works a night shift, so my grandma takes care of us when she has to go. Thanks to my grandma’s hard work and the challenges they gave me, I’ve grown as a person a lot.
Yuri Bryant – Holy Trinity High School – DMSF Class of 2029
Photo Credit: Yuri Bryant