Growing up, I watched my family work for everything that they have. I watched my family continue to advance themselves in each aspect of their daily life from the house they chose to their occupation. However, my family made sure to inform me that nothing comes without hard work. Being African-American in this country is already a difficult job in itself, so watching my family be successful is truly inspiring to me.
My first inspiration came from my mother’s side of the family. This side of the family worked hard to ensure that they could have a fortunate life for themselves. In the 1950s, my family owned the only black-owned grocery store in the area. They were also sharecroppers, so they were able to sell their own products as well. Because of this, the value of hard work was instilled in my mother at an extremely young age, which is why she has made sure to instill that same value in her children. My mother has worked hard to be successful all throughout her life.
Another inspiration comes from my father. My father did not grow up with anything being handed to him. Because of this, he has worked diligently in everything that he does. When I was in elementary school, I watched my father open his own mortgage company. This was an extremely exciting time for my family, and my father worked hard each day to make his company successful. He went from helping people within the state of Tennessee to reaching clients throughout the United States, which made his company national.
Both of my parents are successful college graduates who have been able to flourish in their careers and venture into new opportunities as well. My family has also been an inspiration to me because they continue to advance themselves. When I was younger, I remember being extremely proud of my parents because they were able to buy a new home for us. They knew that they wanted a new house, and they never stopped working to achieve what they wanted. As their child, I was able to witness first-hand, a black family truly being successful in white America. It showed me that the color of my skin will never be able to measure my success or determine my future.
Today, my family works hard to ensure that my little brother and I will be successful as well. They show us that if we truly work hard for what we want, we will achieve it. My parents work hard each and every day and continue to make sure that their children have everything they need to succeed. They also stress to us that because we are African-American, we have to work ten times harder than our peers. My family never forgets to remind us who we are and where we come from, but they also never forget to remind us of the greatness that is in store for us.
