Dream Deferred

What happens
To a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore -
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over -
Like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
Like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

    Langston Hughes

"Achieving a college degree is something that I've always wanted to do. When I want something I will not give up until I've reached my goal. When I accomplish my goal I will put my knowledge and understanding to work for me. I will be eternally grateful to whoever sponsors me. I am young enough to turn my life around, become a successful business woman and help others."
---Heather

My journey to manhood began on June 6, 1975 in the Bronx, New York. This journey consisted of many hardships and difficulties. Some may even say that I was destined to fail from conception. My father, a drug dealer, was killed two months before I was born. My mother was a compassionate 21 year old who intended to be a nurturing figure to her son; however, her childhood experiences of physical, mental, and sexual abuse interfered with her intentions. Unaware of the deeply rooted psychological affects that the abuse had on her, she failed to address her issues properly; they eventually overwhelmed her, and she turned to drugs and alcohol to elude her depression. My mother was an intelligent woman; she attended Columbia University for two semesters, but our social status was drastically affected by her addictions. I became a dysfunctional product of my environment. Due to lack of parental guidance, I was free to roam the hard streets of New York City. I learned a lot too fast. I observed more than a child my age should have seen, both on the streets and inside of my home. My natural curiosity, as a child, led me in the wrong direction. I eventually ended up hanging around the wrong crowds, and by the age of 16, I was already serving time in an adult jail facility; hence, the beginning of the revolving door of prison.
---Richard

"I don't minimize my substance abuse issue, nor do I downplay the magnitude of the harm caused by the crimes that I've committed. I thank God that I have never physically hurt anyone while committing a negative act. I have dedicated my life to helping people reach a spiritual level and deal with their emotions. I believe that God allowed me to go through what I went through so that I can show others how to get through similar situations.

I want to go to college because, well, all of the misinformation that I learned over the years will be of great value when I put it in proper perspective. But it's useless without the proper degree."
---Michael

"As a young man, I was faced with the reality of having to go to school in South Boston. The people of this town did not like the idea of African Americans in their town. Every morning I got on the bus to go to school. I was greeted by fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters screaming profanities at me. That was accompanied by bricks, rocks, and bottles being thrown at the bus.

To experience these acts was terrifying, and I was extremely fearful for my well-being. So, when I attended classes inside the school, I could never concentrate fully on my work. I was afraid that I would be assaulted by one of the white students. Such assaults did take place in the school.

As a result of my bad experiences in South Boston, I suffered an abundance of irrational beliefs. I believed that a person of color was looked upon as less than equal to the average person. I believed that as being a person of color, I would never be given a decent job. I also believed that I would never be respected as an honorable man because of my race. So, due to these misperceptions, I took it upon myself to believe that if I used aggression and took what I needed or wanted, then I would be respected. This was the beginning of my life in crime."
--Theodore

"I had an education in drugs, street life, hard times, you name it. Now I want the kind of education that will let me use all I've learned to help other people. That's what I want to do, help people who are suffering like I have suffered. If I can leave here with a college degree it will mean this prison time wasn't a total waste."
---Debbie

"I'm very enthusiastic about my college experience. It's funny; you should see me. I take a shower, get nice and neat and go fully prepared to class. I thank you and all your supporters for giving me this opportunity to become a man. God's grace is with you all, I'm sure."
---Carey

"The highest multitudes of thanks, sincerely coming from my heart to Partakers for opening the door towards an outstanding opportunity for me. More than ever am I ready and mentally unequivocally prepared to pursue a bachelors degree. Openly optimistic, high spirited, and grateful for each day, I am"
---Jemal

"I am so excited with my course, especially sociology; it is teaching me lots about society and human behavior. It is equipping me for the challenges of life, and it helps me relate to and identify with people."
---Soilo

"Thank you for all you have done in helping me to attend college while in prison. It has been more comforting than you can know to have such wonderful, caring people visiting me, writing me, and keeping me focused on something greater than prison life."
---Michaelene