Darriena Mahan

Darriena’s Story

The “visit” to my aunt’s house turned out to be an extended stay. I often found myself asking when I would see my mother again and why couldn't I spend time with my father. Social workers tampered the strings of my heart with new “rules” dictating how I would associate with my family. Pain slowly filled my core, stimulated by the sorrowful eyes I looked into once a week- when I could see my mother. She scuffled day and night trying to get enough money to pay child support for her three children, whom she longed to be with again. One night, as my sister and I got our clothes together for school, my hurt turned into rage as I yelled at my sister, “Why did you lie on my daddy and get us like this!” Then I was crying; she was also. She hadn't been lying when she told social workers what my father had done to her, but at that time no one believed her.

About 8 months later my brother and I were allowed to go back home, but my sister wasn't allowed to stay there. A piece of me was missing. Despite these trials, I entered the 5th grade making excellent grades and getting several awards for it. My mom received a letter asking if I could be tested for the gifted and talented education program at my school. I’d taken the test once and didn't pass, so I felt discouraged from trying again. My mom made me take the test anyway, and I passed.

My first time entering the G.A.T.E. classroom an overwhelming rush of intellectual advancement came over me. The students welcomed me with open arms, yet acknowledged me of the competitiveness and yearning they had for learning. I wanted to feel this too. At times I felt insecure, thinking that I would never be as smart or as academically dynamic as the other kids, but I knew what I had to do silence my inner critic. I needed to prove to myself before I could prove to everyone else that that was where I belonged.

Since then, I knew I wanted to graduate in the top of my class and win the race against every statistic that falls against young African-American women. I knew that beating the odds would be a rigorous task, but that it wasn’t impossible. My goals include preparing for and attending college. I plan to be the first woman in my family to graduate college. I want to study in college to make a difference in my family and I want to graduate to show that it can be done. Attending college is significant to me because of my love for education and my strong desire for success.

Tenacious, humble, loving, dedicated, outgoing, influential and blessed are words that my parents and friends use to describe me. Before I entered the 11th grade I didn't know what I wanted my occupation to be when I would become an adult. This worried me because my peers at school had this figured out when they entered their freshman year. At the beginning of my second semester, as I contemplated between majoring in business and becoming a teacher, my AP U.S. History teacher approached me and asked did I want to join the debate team that she coaches as an alternate. One of the debaters fell ill the weekend of the tournament and I barely knew how to follow a debate. Though I was partially experienced I persevered through the obstacle by studying techniques for debating and the topic every chance I had. After my first tournament my partner and I had won two rounds. Soon after my coach Coach announced to our parents that we would be flying to Boston to debate at the prestigious Harvard University at no cost at all. From that point on I knew that God meant for my teacher to approach me that day about debate because I after I left Boston I knew I wanted to be a judge after graduating.

Accomplishing my goal is not just important to me, but it’s important to get done to so I can count as an example that obstacles can’t stop you from pursuing your dreams. I want to serve as a role model to those who are in positions similar to the one I was in. I want to be successful so that others know they can be successful also. I will prove to myself and others that it does not matter where you come from, it matters where you get. I will take the stigma out of being black. I will take the stigma out of being a female. I will take the stigma out of coming from a low-income neighborhood. I will inspire others to dare to dream.