Sophomore staffer Abdulsalam Alli, has entered his first year in “The Rosette” Newspaper to help him improve his confidence in his writing skills. He joined to help put his words and thoughts from his colorful mind onto paper. With Alli’s multiple honors classes and clubs, he plans to reach as high as he can to succeed, and he won’t let anyone stop him! Despite Alli’s apparent struggle he still pushes through even if that means barely passing Dual Credit Chemistry. Alli might be loud, obnoxious, and really annoying, but he’s always trying to improve to reach the top!
Man In The Mirror: Alli speaks out about his transition towards finding himself.
Reported by: Kenneth Jordan
Sitting on the ottoman below his parents bed. While he watched tears flow seamlessly down his mothers face as she told the emotional story of the origin of her first name. As the both of them now sitting with eyes filled with tears, He from then on vows to his mother he would never try to be like others and be himself.
Sophomore Abdulsalam Alli since his one life changing moment, has dedicated himself to enlightenment about his culture and self improvement.
Before Alli began to change his views towards himself, he felt ashamed of his culture.
“ Yes, I'm going to be completely honest, “ Alli said.”definitely at one point or another I was ashamed, when my mom would make me food I was ashamed of how it looked or smelled, I was ashamed of how dark my skin color is, being ashamed is not important it's not good for me I shouldn't be ashamed to live as myself”.
During a raging pandemic Alli had one life changing moment that forever shaped him.
“It was in 7th grade when I was about 12 or 13,” Alli said. “It was during covid when I stayed home the entire time and a lot of things were happening and I realized I’m different. What made me realize this is during a heated discussion with my mom and she sat me down and told me about her full name and how it has all the blessings and praise and that was the point where everything changed for me”.
Having grown from this Alli understands the importance of Alli’s journey finding himself didn't start until he realized that it was okay to be unique and different.
“I think that finding out that my Nigerian heritage is beautiful and it is what makes me unique, because before I found this out I kept thinking oh I need to be normal all of these people are making fun of my dark skin”.
Covid, giving Ali more time to culturally reflect on his heritage, has given him an appreciation of his lineage.
“I feel like it’s shaped me into a more culturally accepting person,”Alli said. “It's made me a more knowledgeable person, and it's given me a pursuit of knowledge. It has made me a better person.”
Having grown from this Alli understands the importance of loving oneself.
“ I think that finding out that my Nigerian heritage is beautiful and it is what makes me unique, because before I found this out I kept thinking oh I need to be normal all of these people are making fun of my dark skin”. “If you can't love what makes you different,then how can you say you love someone else if you don't love yourself”, Alli Said. “Loving oneself is like living; everybody has to do it but not everybody knows how to do it.”
