‘Frankly, homelessness is a fear of mine, but God teaches us not to have a spirit of fear.’

Gentrification has affected eviction rates and homelessness. As areas are gentrifying, families in poverty cannot afford rent, which pushes them into homelessness.

Frankly, homelessness is a fear of mine, but God teaches us not to have a spirit of fear. As the Apostle Paul wrote in II Timothy, Chapter 1, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

For my first three years of high school, I attended Loyola High, a very prestigious private Catholic school. Looking back, I can see that in my time there, the thought of attending college never really excited me. It wasn’t until the second semester of my senior year at Dorsey that I realized what I can benefit from continuing my education at a college.

As an African American, 18-year-old male, I need all the advantages and equity I can get to be able to compete in the real world — not just to be able to survive, but to have enough to thrive and give back to my community.