This doesn't really have to do with anything, but I liked the title of the album. It fits, no?
I met some great students today. Great students. I won’t share their names because I didn’t ask, but today I met:
An architect
A poet
A writer
An investor
I know that they are just beginning their journeys, but I’m loving their energy and I want to publicly proclaim that they are amazing!
I don’t usually post things written by other people, but I met this guy today and I couldn’t not share is genius. Since he’s a published writer I don’t feel bad about sharing his name. Please take a look at the articles Anthony Turner has written and share them with a friend.
Trayvon Martin, Unarmed and Innocent on the NYTimes blog
As a young black male myself, I sometimes get the sense that other people judge me on my appearance. The fact that I’m a black kid in a hoodie is a mark against me (even though I don’t do anything “suspicious” at all). At times I feel self-conscious, wondering if people on the subway or street automatically wonder: “Is he a troublemaker? Should I hold onto my phone tighter?” It makes me feel bad to think that these kinds of thoughts surface in people’s heads when they see a black person.
Foster Teen: ‘I Needed Emotional Support, Not Medication” on The Huffington Post
My caseworker came to my foster mom’s house and told me that he would take me to KFC and then to a “nice place to get help.” I thought, “OK, that sounds cool. I get my favorite food and I go to a center to feel better.”
The next stop we made was a psychiatric hospital for kids. We went through door after door, and it dawned on me that every door had a lock. Once the door shut you couldn’t open it. The doors locked you in. They intended to keep me here. That realization gave me a panic attack. I started running and the security tackled me. I was forcibly dragged in.
Huffington Post – “Foster Teen: I Was Put In A Psych Ward. I Wasn’t Crazy” was picked up on the Citizen’s Commission on Human Rights International website
I felt forced into signing a bunch of papers. I didn’t realize I was signing consent to take medication.
The first things they prescribed were Depakote and Risperdal. I didn’t get a say in what I wanted, and that made me feel powerless.
At the hospital, staff joked about it in a perverse way. “Hey kids, come and get your happy pills!” “Come right up for your Skittles, it makes the world a better place!” I was disgusted that the staff were making light of my situation. I wondered how they’d feel if they were forced to take pills in a lockdown facility.
Kids are awesome and I’m soooo looking forward to seeing all the good things they do in the world!
PEACE,
Shay
Shay Olivarria is the most dynamic financial education speaker working today. She speaks at high schools, colleges, and companies across the country. She has written three books on personal finance, including Amazon Best Seller “Money Matters: The Get It Done in 1 Minute Workbook”. Shay has been quoted on Bankrate.com, FoxBusiness.com, and The Credit Union Times, among others. To schedule Shay to speak at your event visit www.BiggerThanYourBlock.com.
Bigger Than Your Block 