Hey everyone what's going on writing this essay for a Columbia Summer Internship was looking for some thoughts and opinions. Thank you for your time and consideration in advance!
In 500 words or less, discuss an issue of personal, local, national, or international inequality and why it matters to you.
The tap tap careened its way up the mountain slope dust and sand billowed through the truck covering us in a light film, as we prepared for what was ahead. Home was ahead or at least the remnants of home. As we crested the top of mountain Port-au-Prince laid beneath us, however it wasn't the same city bubbling with life that I grew fond of as a child. The 2010 earthquake decimated a once vibrant city filled with sights, sounds, smells, and love into a decrepit shantytown immersed in unimaginable suffering. As we drove through the streets faces flew past in a blur but the same emotion of despair was seen through the eyes of my countrymen. Crowds convened outside the gates of the depot all chanting different utterances, but the sentiments were all the same, which were deep yearnings for relief. The previously unyielding crowd saw our convoy and became docile allowing us safe passage, expecting our presence to bring some deliverance from this nightmare. We disembarked and instantly went to work unpacking containers of water, first aid kits, canned food, and clothing. Pandemonium erupted amongst the crowd as they saw the supplies being passed out, the environment started to get tumultuous. My younger self was rattled however that moment became a crowning point in my growth as a person; it gave me insight to the fragility of life. Soon my father stepped in and helped pacify the crowd soon returning everything to an even keel, the exchange soon proceed as planned with everyone in the crowd receiving essential supplies. Later that night we returned to my uncle's to a lavish dinner to compliment our successes in the day, however throughout the dinner my father remained pensive and uninterested in joining the festivities. I venture over to him to curious why he's withdrawn from the dinner I ask, "...why aren't you partying with everyone we did a lot of good today" he coldly responds, "we haven't done enough." My father's simple response lead me to a tremendous amount of introspection to why we were here, what we had done that, but most importantly what we can keep doing. It dawned upon me that my family's move from Haiti to the states was the extremely fortunate and is an opportunity that not everyone will get and shouldn't be taken lightly. That day my father made me realize that even though the individuals were helping don't know us and we don't know them we owe it to them to help because we could've easily been in their position. Being a child born into inequality, but was fortunate enough to escape it the duty is mine to help those who are up against it.
In 500 words or less, discuss an issue of personal, local, national, or international inequality and why it matters to you.
The tap tap careened its way up the mountain slope dust and sand billowed through the truck covering us in a light film, as we prepared for what was ahead. Home was ahead or at least the remnants of home. As we crested the top of mountain Port-au-Prince laid beneath us, however it wasn't the same city bubbling with life that I grew fond of as a child. The 2010 earthquake decimated a once vibrant city filled with sights, sounds, smells, and love into a decrepit shantytown immersed in unimaginable suffering. As we drove through the streets faces flew past in a blur but the same emotion of despair was seen through the eyes of my countrymen. Crowds convened outside the gates of the depot all chanting different utterances, but the sentiments were all the same, which were deep yearnings for relief. The previously unyielding crowd saw our convoy and became docile allowing us safe passage, expecting our presence to bring some deliverance from this nightmare. We disembarked and instantly went to work unpacking containers of water, first aid kits, canned food, and clothing. Pandemonium erupted amongst the crowd as they saw the supplies being passed out, the environment started to get tumultuous. My younger self was rattled however that moment became a crowning point in my growth as a person; it gave me insight to the fragility of life. Soon my father stepped in and helped pacify the crowd soon returning everything to an even keel, the exchange soon proceed as planned with everyone in the crowd receiving essential supplies. Later that night we returned to my uncle's to a lavish dinner to compliment our successes in the day, however throughout the dinner my father remained pensive and uninterested in joining the festivities. I venture over to him to curious why he's withdrawn from the dinner I ask, "...why aren't you partying with everyone we did a lot of good today" he coldly responds, "we haven't done enough." My father's simple response lead me to a tremendous amount of introspection to why we were here, what we had done that, but most importantly what we can keep doing. It dawned upon me that my family's move from Haiti to the states was the extremely fortunate and is an opportunity that not everyone will get and shouldn't be taken lightly. That day my father made me realize that even though the individuals were helping don't know us and we don't know them we owe it to them to help because we could've easily been in their position. Being a child born into inequality, but was fortunate enough to escape it the duty is mine to help those who are up against it.
