Real Talk: Adult Leaders Are Playing Games with Your Future

Send this to the high school students you know. It’s very important for their future.

© Ogbonna Hagins for Philly Word Magazine and Freedmen’s Journal 2.0

Listen up! You hear a lot about how you’re the future, right? They hype you up for your achievements, like when Councilmember Isaiah Thomas gives out awards to standout students, like those Gates Millennial Scholars. But let’s be real: these awards are just window dressing. While a few get recognized, most of you are still struggling to get by.

Earlier this year, I introduced the Freedmen Affirmative Action Bill, and let me tell you, this ain’t just about knowing your rights under the 13th Amendment. It’s about enforcing those rights for American Freedmen—the descendants of the emancipated—so y’all can get the opportunities you deserve.

Look at the numbers: only about 20% of Black kids in 4th grade read at a decent level, and it’s even rougher for American Freedmen. High school graduation rates sit around 66% for Black students in Philly, but American Freedmen are often left behind. When it comes to college, only 39% of Black grads even enroll. This is the reality you’re up against.

So while politicians are out here handing out awards and collecting applause, they’re ignoring the real issues. Your schools are underfunded, resources are scarce, and many of you face violence daily. Recognizing a few stars isn’t gonna change that.

You deserve leaders who aren’t just playing games. You deserve folks who will fight for laws that uplift everyone, not just a select few. Let’s make some noise and hold them accountable. Awards are cool, but they won’t change your lives. It’s time for real change, and it starts with you demanding what you deserve.