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My name is Alex Crockett. The image included is of my late grandfather, Theodore Roosevelt Crockett- Ted for short. Ted grew up in Greenville Mississippi at the heart of the delta, one of 22 children to the same mother. When he was a young teenager Ted left home to work and live in Detroit, then the world famous factory city so many like my grandfather left the south for. After working in factories in Detroit and eventually settling in New Britain Connecticut, Ted became a staunch labor advocate, travelling around the world, forging connections with powerful figures, and always fighting for the dignity and humanity of American workers of every race color and creed.
My grandfather did this with an 8th grade education.
Earlier this year, Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma introduced and ultimately passed legislation to cut all funding to political science programs through the National Science Foundation that did not "promote national security or the economic interests of the United States".
I built my summer around attending the Ralph Bunche Summer Institute at Duke, a program that has a famous track record for preparing minority students to enter graduate school.
The Senate has sent a message in their decision that training minorities to identify and combat inequality in our country is not of critical importance.
I think my grandfather and the rest of my family would disagree.
So here is where I currently stand. My mom and dad have worked feverishly for their entire lives in the hopes that my sister and I might attend college. Both close to 60 years old, my dad recently lost his job due to the horrific climate of the insurance industry, and my mother works close to 7 days a week as an E.R nurse, often 12 hour shifts.
Like many families it has been a struggle to pay for my enrollment at Goucher College, even though I receive scholarships and financial aid.
This summer the Bunche Institute had potential to start me down the path to entering political science and social justice work at a professional level and hopefully increase my chances of alleviating the burden of my debt on my parents. Unfortunately this was not a vision shared by the United States Senate.
I was notified of the termination of the program in early April, giving me just enough time to apply to another program recommended to me by the faculty and president of my college.
The Hansard Scholars Programme is an 8-week summer institute with the London School of Economics in which students have an internship with a member of parliament.
The London School of Economics (LSE) is an incredible institution that many of my heroes have attended and I have been heavily recommended to consider it for graduate school (which would be unreal). Unfortunately I could never afford to travel to the UK and interview or work with the faculty and administration my professors have suggested without some form of sponsorship.
UPDATE
Here is where we stand now:
$917 Flight
$7,158 Fee
$Total Needed: $8,075
$2,500 Mom and Dad
$600 Scholarship
$300 Award
$2,107 Raised
Total Gathered:
$5,507
Difference:
$2,568
If I fail to raise the remaining amount I will not attend the program under any circumstances.
Given my graduation next year, this is a pivotal point in my education and a once in a lifetime opportunity that I know I won't take a second of for granted.
No matter what happens I plan on dedicating my life to investigating and fighting the causes of poverty and inequality, but I genuinely believe this trip could greatly enhance my capacity to do so.
Sincerely,
Alex
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