TUESDAY THOUGHTS: PATRIC MCDOWNEY: COLLEGE BOUND

In my family, college was not an option. 

I'm sure that many of you, who had southern-born, African-American parents, heard the "You have to be twice as good" speech. 

My Mom was the first in her immediate family to graduate college. 

My Dad, who completed his high school education courtesy of the U.S. Navy, spoke often of his post-retirement from the Navy, and his foray into the Federal Government. 

He lamented having to sometimes train/mentor/cover for people who were his superiors. They were so, he believed, only by virtue of their formal education. Although many of them got the top jobs and coveted promotions, they, at times, demonstrated little competency when it came to the actual duties outlined in their job descriptions. What they were good at was delegating authority to subordinates whose paychecks were considerably smaller. 

I learned early that attending college was not an option. My Dad didn't want my siblings and me to go through what he'd experienced.

It was later in my life that I heard the phrase, "Favor ain't fair", but it perfectly suited the work situations about which my Dad would share. The college degrees his superiors held, he said, "showed that they had potential".  

And "That piece of paper" was obviously very valuable; it clearly got one's foot in the door. 

My siblings and I, therefore, HAD to get "a piece of paper" of our own. 

In our house, it wasn't "Are you GOING?" or "Do you WANT to go?", but "WHICH one have you decided to attend so we can get these coins together?" Yep. "coins" were set aside before we could even spell "college". 

When I was a student at Howard University, tuition was $882.50 a semester. That was the late 70's/early 80's and, in my mind, it may as well have been a million dollars out of the pockets of my parents. (SIDEBAR: I auditioned and earned a spot in Howard University's gospel choir, but declined when I found out how much the robe cost. I just didn't want to ask my parents for the money. It seemed frivolous. I know. Silly, right? I was young...SMH...It's okay. I've stopped kicking myself about it. Insert the words of the Apostle James: "You do not have because you do not ASK".)
Soooo...whew...Can't you tell I'm not a good salesperson? lol...(SIDEBAR 2: When my daughter was younger, and had to sell things for school fundraisers, I'd rather just buy the whole case of whatever the kiddies were peddling that year, than ask others to purchase it....See? What's coming after my rambling is making me wish I were independently wealthy, and I'd write one big check to the Art Institute of Philadelphia.)

Okay. Here goes... to whomever may be reading this...I know that college isn't for everyone, but it's so important to encourage kids, who have goals of their own, that include higher education. 

We have LOTS to say about young men who are choosing the WRONG path, and doing nothing with their lives except courting trouble. 

Here's an opportunity to be a part of the "village" and cheer on a young man who WANTS to go to college. 

I admire a kid who knows what he or she wants to do in life. 

I also like funding sites like Kickstarter and GoFundMe. They show that a little bit of kindness from many strangers can accomplish a lot.
I don't usually do this, but I figure if every one contributes something--even a quarter--Patric McDowney (Yes--Angeleque's baby boy. Lawd, am I getting old!) could be well on his way to seeing his name emblazoned on a future college degree...AND embroidered/embossed/etched/stamped on the labels of fine apparel and accessories, too.

Give, won't you? 

You'll feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Just click on the link, and check out his page at GoFundMe.com. http://www.gofundme.com/aegkmw