Christopher Hart
Not coming from Texarkana I had my mind on other things and moving here wasn’t the first thing on my agenda. Moving here my sophomore year of high school made me extremely angry, with a terrible perspective of living in a smaller city filled with anger, love and racism. Yes, racism. I have received it more here than any other city I have lived in. Now I am possibly one of the nicest people anymore could meet, but some things just do not change in life, until I received a letter in the mail to invite me to an organizational ball to recognize my fellow outstanding young men of Texarkana.
I received the letter, and I really didn’t know what it meant. Honestly, my first mind wanted to throw it away, because I just did not want to be here. I was wrong. Meeting my peers who were invited were friends of mine from school and the basketball team. The Texarkana Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority celebrates this every year around the end of January. The chapter recognized 28 exceptional high school seniors for their academic achievements, leadership abilities, involvement in the community and commitment to excellence, giving back to the kids, showing us elegance, stability, and brotherhood amongst each other.
Having us donate and have a fundraiser to earn scholarship money for college was a great investment. When I was in it in was 2013, three years ago, but t the event is so private and beautiful it makes you feel really special about yourself. Wearing a black suit and white gloves, giving a speech in front of our parents and fellow peers and their parents showed me that we all can get along and have a good time. We all can turn a bad situation into a good one just by following our hearts. The women and men over the organization did a fantastic job with us, feeding us, taking care of us and helping get our names out in the world at such a young age. Being a part of the event and the outstanding young men around this town should carry a lot of weight for whoever gets the chance to experience this type of celebration.
Only 28 people are selected. That means someone is always watching, and someone can introduce us to new heights if we let them. The event is always held at the Pleasant Grove High School Performing Arts Center, giving us a great venue to showcase our people skills amongst each other. The most recent event was January 31st 2016 and it was nice seeing new faces chosen now to be the outstanding young men of Texarkana. As an alumni, it made me proud to see what I was a part of in high school, and I greatly appreciate them for taking me in and making us all brothers. Hopefully these events keep going through the town so it gives more black American men an opportunity in this world unlike the others. With me saying the others that’s for who ever is not with the OYM organization. The OYM organization should meet greater heights over the next few years and I hope Texarkana will open its eyes and see the great mark its making on these kids lives.