Kensington, Glenside, and Me
If you’ve ever been to Philadelphia, you’ve probably heard of a neighborhood called Kensington. Kensington is in the heart of North Philadelphia, and if you’ve heard someone call part of Philly “The Badlands,” they’re usually referring to this part.
Some parts are dangerous and unsafe, especially for kids. There’s a lot of gun violence, so much so that my mom used to call them fireworks when I was a kid. We’d be playing on the stoop, and she’d shoo us inside because we heard gunshots. It happened frequently, and many of my classmates were victims of gun violence. I’ve been to too many vigils in my life for peers I went to school with.
When it came to education, many of my peers didn’t think to apply to college due to the costs, especially given that most residents here are low-income or on some kind of government assistance. It was more of an accomplishment to graduate High school. Many of my peers dropped out or had kids very early. If it weren’t for a program called Philadelphia Futures, I probably would have been in a similar boat.
Philadelphia Futures, now Heights Philadelphia, was a scholar program for college-bound high school students. They worked with the Philadelphia Public School District to help get kids into colleges by giving them access to college-readiness resources. I am forever grateful for the experiences this program provided me, and I hope that the students who are currently attending the program are enjoying it as much as I did. This program did more than just help me get into college. It also kept me off the streets.
Many kids my age went home after school, but I went to Futures. I got involved in clubs and extracurricular activities, and I made lots of friends along the way. But there were definitely times in high school when I wished I had more free time, because all my peers were on the streets doing whatever they wanted after school. Meanwhile, here I was with extra homework to do, but little did I know that I was actually the lucky one.
However, just because I was spending my time on college campuses didn’t mean I was completely sheltered. In fact, it was difficult to see the difference between home and college, and I wasn’t even in college yet. Philadelphia Futures runs their programming through Temple University, so I’d spend my afternoons there. I enjoyed seeing college students and imagining where I’d eventually go to college. All my daydreaming eventually would be crushed when I had to return home afterward. After spending my afternoons at Temple, I’d take the train back to my neighborhood, which was my least favorite part since it was always dark by the time I got back.
Imagine, you’re 13 and it’s 7 p.m. on a school night. You exit your train station and are welcomed by drug addicts. They all look out of it, and like they need help. You’re just 14 and trying to get home. You tread carefully through the streets, having to avoid people asking for money, or past large groups of men with guns visibly strapped to their waist. You clutch your bookbag and try not to make eye contact. Not to mention, you’re constantly watching where you step just in case there are open needles lying about. If you did this just right, you’d get home without any fuss.
When I applied to colleges during my senior year of high school, I knew I wanted to get out. I purposely applied to schools that were 45+ minutes away from home, and when I got into Arcadia University, I was over the moon.
Glenside is definitely different from Philly, but I’ve come to enjoy that. I look down at the ground, and I don’t see any needles. I can even wear sandals, and not have to worry about it, I find that to be a small victory. When I’m here I don’t hear any “fireworks,” except for this one time, but those were actual fireworks. I don’t have to worry about my safety nearly as much as I do back home, and I cannot be more grateful for this reprieve. For the first time in my life, I feel safe.
I cannot describe to you the peace it brings knowing I’m physically safe. It allows me to better focus on my academics and degree. This is something I never thought I could experience. Does Arcadia University know that they’ve helped a student of theirs feel more comfortable and safe? Probably not, but that’s why I’m saying this now. Thanks, Arcadia, for giving a kid from Philly a chance to breathe.
