Y is a 32-year-old biracial male living in New York, and working in the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP). He grew up in a household with an Irish, white mother and an African American father and attended predominantly white secondary schools. He graduated high school and attended private college where he was an American Studies major with a focus on the Social Construction of Race Relations.
“The implicit bias of teachers played a big role with my brother. My brother had ADHD and was gifted but he wasn’t in any sort of gifted program. He was oftentimes smarter than his teachers and they would take that as disrespect but it was really just him being him. He was treated in such a way where he became disillusioned with education. He got a 2300 on the SAT but dropped out of community college in 2 weeks because of his educational experience.”
“Education has always been a big part of my family. Even though my parents didn’t go to college, they always said I was going to college.”
The Rate of Student Loans by Race
“Colleges really cater to wealthy individuals. And if you’re not wealthy or even upper-middle class, college is a struggle. You have to do work-study and your friends go out to eat and you have to go to work. Your friends go on spring break and you have to work. And then you start your adult life in a hole. That wears on you.”
“I would love to see this country move away from the elitism that is college education”
The Elitism of College Education
“Does college determine success? That’s my big conflict. I’m kind of hopeful that when my daughters go to college, Maybe there’s another path or another way. College hasn’t changed with the changing times. I have to get to the point where I don’t associate success with a college degree.”
“I would love to see this country move away from the elitism that is college education.”
Y is…
- 32 Years-Old
- Male, Cisgender
- Black
- Bi-Racial
- Christian
- Lower Middle Class
- Heterosexual
