“I just graduated from fifth to sixth grade and received awards for National Elementary Honor Society and a presidential award. I wanted to dress up today. I like wearing jeans and t-shirts, but today was special. I will do this again at my eighth-grade graduation and homecomings dances.”

Deborah

“I have three daughters. I work and don’t get as much one-on-one time with each of them as I would like. Deborah is the oldest and gets my full attention today. We went to brunch and got her nails done. 

I grew up in the Congo. We were refugees in Uganda and came to America through the refugee program. America was a second chance for our family. We first stayed in one of the bad parts of Baton Rouge. There were gunshots, and we realized we had PTSD. I was 18. They wouldn’t let me finish high school, so I entered the Job Corps and got my GED. My dad’s friends told him about Alabama, and we moved to Mobile. I am trying to give my daughters a better life.”

Rehema