Dear Margaret,
Your essay was inspiring. Your strength was shown through your writing. Unlike the other women who worked for Mrs. Cuillnan, you refused to be stripped of your name which in my opinion is an important part of your identity. When you said “It was a tossup over whether I would laugh (Imagine being named Hallelujah) or cry (imagine letting some white woman rename you for her convenience.)” It stood out to me. There were two parts of that quote that stood out to me, the fact that Miss Glory would allow another person to strip her of her name, and the idea that a woman such as Mrs. Cuillnan could be so ignorant and condescending to do it for her own convenience. My name, Ayanna, means beautiful flower in the language of Swahili and I would hate to think that because it is “to long” that it would be shortened simply to satisfy the tongue of another. Too often we as African, Hispanic, Asian people etc. alter ourselves to fit into the confines of American society. When instead we should embrace the exotic traits that we possess with confidence and pride.
When I was in high school, I’d had to endure the cruel mistreatment of one of my peers. This had gone on from my freshman year until my twelfth. Once after a small physical altercation we’d both been sent to the principal’s office, separately that is. So, I’d sat in the chair across from my principal impatiently waiting to tell my side of the story. “Ms. Dickerson,” Said the principal. “Can you tell me what happened in the hall today?”
“She put her hands on me.” I muttered.
“I don’t know how to handle this, seeing as how this isn’t your first time in my office because of an issue with your peers, this girl in particular. We have a no tolerance policy here.”
At that point I’d had enough. I was angry that those girls wouldn’t leave me alone and I was angry that no one ever put a stop to it. “It ain’t my fault that they don’t like me! I’m tired of it, I’ve done nothing to this girl, yet her and her friends continue to antagonize me! I won’t stand for it.” I was beginning to yell and lose my tempor, which was unusual for me.
“Well Ayanna, I don’t know what you’d like us to do, I do know that this can not continue to occur. It’s disruptive.” She replied.
“I’ma tell you what you can do. You can tell her to leave me alone. I will not allow anyone to put there hands on me. I just want to peacefully get through this last year without being taunted and whispered about. I, Will, Not, Be bullied!”
She Nodded in agreement. I knew that I’d gotten my point across, all I wanted everyone to know was that I would stand up for myself no matter the consequence. I think after saying aloud that I would not allow myself to be bullied I took back the pride and strength that my peers robbed me of. The strength that I did not receive from my trusted school officials, the strength that I had to find within myself.
These qualities of confidence, strength, and pride were instilled in me by many of my rellitives. I believe that had my mother or my cousin Princess been in my situation they would have stood for what they believed in and taken back their strength just as I had.
Your essay was inspiring. Your strength was shown through your writing. Unlike the other women who worked for Mrs. Cuillnan, you refused to be stripped of your name which in my opinion is an important part of your identity. When you said “It was a tossup over whether I would laugh (Imagine being named Hallelujah) or cry (imagine letting some white woman rename you for her convenience.)” It stood out to me. There were two parts of that quote that stood out to me, the fact that Miss Glory would allow another person to strip her of her name, and the idea that a woman such as Mrs. Cuillnan could be so ignorant and condescending to do it for her own convenience. My name, Ayanna, means beautiful flower in the language of Swahili and I would hate to think that because it is “to long” that it would be shortened simply to satisfy the tongue of another. Too often we as African, Hispanic, Asian people etc. alter ourselves to fit into the confines of American society. When instead we should embrace the exotic traits that we possess with confidence and pride.
When I was in high school, I’d had to endure the cruel mistreatment of one of my peers. This had gone on from my freshman year until my twelfth. Once after a small physical altercation we’d both been sent to the principal’s office, separately that is. So, I’d sat in the chair across from my principal impatiently waiting to tell my side of the story. “Ms. Dickerson,” Said the principal. “Can you tell me what happened in the hall today?”
“She put her hands on me.” I muttered.
“I don’t know how to handle this, seeing as how this isn’t your first time in my office because of an issue with your peers, this girl in particular. We have a no tolerance policy here.”
At that point I’d had enough. I was angry that those girls wouldn’t leave me alone and I was angry that no one ever put a stop to it. “It ain’t my fault that they don’t like me! I’m tired of it, I’ve done nothing to this girl, yet her and her friends continue to antagonize me! I won’t stand for it.” I was beginning to yell and lose my tempor, which was unusual for me.
“Well Ayanna, I don’t know what you’d like us to do, I do know that this can not continue to occur. It’s disruptive.” She replied.
“I’ma tell you what you can do. You can tell her to leave me alone. I will not allow anyone to put there hands on me. I just want to peacefully get through this last year without being taunted and whispered about. I, Will, Not, Be bullied!”
She Nodded in agreement. I knew that I’d gotten my point across, all I wanted everyone to know was that I would stand up for myself no matter the consequence. I think after saying aloud that I would not allow myself to be bullied I took back the pride and strength that my peers robbed me of. The strength that I did not receive from my trusted school officials, the strength that I had to find within myself.
These qualities of confidence, strength, and pride were instilled in me by many of my rellitives. I believe that had my mother or my cousin Princess been in my situation they would have stood for what they believed in and taken back their strength just as I had.