This article was written for B.O.S.S. Magazine by Danyelle R. Carter
Morehouse College is the nation’s only male, historically and predominately higher education institution for African Americans. Morehouse empowers men to have a disciplined mind and lead lives of leadership, service and self-realization. One of the college’s primary strategic goals is to prepare students to address contemporary ethical and social concerns and Daiquan Nigel Sadiq Bradford and Kai Palmer-Dunning are doing just that as they believe it is a critical component in achieving their goals.
Daiquan Nigel Sadiq Bradford is a political science major from Massachusetts who has audaciously engaged himself in service since he was a teenager. In Atlanta, Bradford has volunteered at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Jefferson Place Homeless Shelter, and KIPP Strive Academy and Boy With A Ball. For the past two summers he has worked at the Greening Youth Foundation’s Historically Black College and University Initiative (HBCUI) program; first at the Boston National Historic Park, where Bradford assisted the museum technician with the annual inventory of artifacts as well as crafted an inclusive program for future tours at the park. During the second summer, he helped at the Martin Luther King National Historic Site Bradford was responsible for leading Birth Home Tours and assisting with museum curator with maintenance of artifacts.
This past March, while students were on spring break Bradford traveled to Haiti for eleven days to aid in a community development project for a local village at the top of mountain named Palmiste. In May, Bradford traveled to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic for seven days and taught financial literacy, reading, and health and life skills to the Haitian refugee population in order to deepen his understanding of service. Bradford says he has been infused with knowledge, values and practical skills necessary to become a civic leader and hopes to instill the same in those he mentors.
This summer Bradford will be one of thirty fellows the renowned Walton-UNCF Education Reform Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C. Ultimately, Bradford plans to continue his education either in Law School or Graduate School with intentions on landing a federal job or becoming a professional lobbyist.
Kai Palmer-Dunning is a rising senior and International Relations Major from Boston. Kai has also interned at the Greening Youth Foundation, an environmental non- profit that promotes environmentalism and sustainability to elementary, middle and high school students. Every Tuesday he would teach children between grades 3-5 about the environment, habitats, and sustainability.
Community service is important to both Bradford and Palmer-Dunning because it allows them to connect with the lives of others in a transformative way. Both men of Morehouse were taught from a young age to be the change they wish to see in the world thus shaping their journey through life. Being able to make a difference and know that the work I am doing is impacting lives is extremely rewarding because the positive experience I am providing is being reflected back to me through someone else’s happiness. Finally, community service is important to me because we all live lives, coming from different backgrounds, and different circumstances but helping others is a way of humbling myself and not taking what I have been blessed with for granted by sharing it with others.
When he was 12 years old, for two weeks, he took a mission trip with members of my church to Michoacan, Mexico. On the trip he ministered to prisoners and children at an orphanage. During this time, he also helped build a church and provide other services to the community. Palmer-Dunning says this trip awakened his passion for service. Building a church also inspired him to figure out his goals. He hopes to pursue a career in architecture and urban planning where he can design and redesign urban neighborhoods to build better communal housing for families.
To engage in Morehouse’s historic mission, both men have without a doubt created awareness, which has enhanced their self-awareness and actualization and encourage others to do the same.