Background: In the fall of 2009 I finalized my Gates Millennium application, after years of preparation, writing and enlisting support for the task at hand I submitted 8 essays. These eight papers, were responses to prompts I no longer remember. Still after nearly 15 years, I’ve found myself turning back to the Gates, my essays, the people who loved me then; I’ve found myself relearning who I want(ed) to be.

Essay number 8: Hate Crime

Truly still a day I’m still carrying. It’s funny it was the first essay that popped up when I searched “Gates”. I was brought to tears, mesmerized at my former self, a mountain in his own right. But by the end, how feel about it all is still unchanged. I see myself as the seed. Density populated by faith and star dust, still soilless. I admire this dude.

And I need this read today, I hope you do too.