Those were the words that I was told all through high school. Those words were spoken by guidance counselors, teachers, friends, family members and coaches. So I went to college obtained a four year degree and STILL DON’T HAVE A “job”. I graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in May of 2008 and have been looking for a job in Washington DC ever since.  

Let me give you all a run down of my college career and my year post college. I obtained my degree in Psychology and Anthropology. I was actively involved in the greater Wilmington community doing many hours of community service at soup kitchens, habitat for humanity, American Red Cross, Salvation Army. I was the Youth Coordinator for the OUT Wilmington LGBT Center for a year and a half. I had the honor of being the Co-Conference chair for our African American Student Leadership Conference which housed about 300 African American Students from around the Southeastern Region of the USA. In this position I raised almost $26,000 for the conference so the participants didn’t have to pay out of their pockets. I ran Division 1 Cross Country and Track for 2 years, was elected the 2^nd African American Student Body Vice President for my University. Lastly I was an RA my senior year as well as set on the Executive Board of Directors for the United States Students Association, the leading student lead organization in the nation that advocates for access and adorable higher education for ALL. So that’s me in a nut shell.  

Now my journey to where I am now. After graduation I accepted a fellowship with the Center for Community Change. They flew us to Nashville TN and fitted us with the best organizers known to man. Trainers like Gerald Taylor, Anna Garcia-Navarra, Heather Booth, and Jackie Kendall just to name a few. Then they placed me at an organization where I was the Voter Engagement Coordinator and handled all voter data materials, trainings for preparing volunteers on the effectiveness of door knocking, phone banking and turf cutting. I started in June and left in September due to personal reasons that started to prohibit me from doing my job effectively. Living in DC with out a job I found myself scared, found myself literally eating roman noodles every night. From September to the end of October I tried to work for a temp agency but only had work once or twice every week so I was pretty much job less for about 2 months. How I survived I have no idea! Eventually I told myself that I needed to suck up my pride and try to find a waiting job. I’ve never waited tables in my life, and to be quite honest why should I. I have a four year degree. Wasn’t I supposed to have a job out of college that would turn into a career? I was hired to the restaurant that I am still currently at, unable to find a path to lead me to a brighter future. On top of my full time post there I have an internship that I work 10-15 a week doing HIV/AIDS research on young men of color. So you can see that I am extremely busy. Why do I have 2 jobs? For those who live in DC you realize how expensive it is and how hard it is to stay afloat.  

Now the questions to President Barack Obama:  

Mr. President, I see myself as well as my other peers as prime candidates for jobs that we qualify for, however we are fighting tooth and nail for entry level positions. Positions that are made for us, positions that are meant for people who may not have that much experience but yet those who have advanced degrees, or “more” experience are getting these jobs over us. 66% of 18-29 year olds voted for you Mr. President. That’s about 22-24 million young Americans between the age of 18-29 which made up about 49.3-54.5% of the total election.  

You’re welcome for us putting you into office.  

Now why aren’t you helping us? You want me to support your health care plan but there isn’t much in there for me as a young American. I see/hear things for my grand parents and my younger cousins but what about my peers and myself? When I graduated from college I was taken off my mother’s health insurance and have been left uncovered. I don’t have a job that offers health insurance and surely can’t afford it myself. What happens if I get sick, or hurt? I’d have to go to the hospital not being able to pay for it, thus going into the red because I’m uninsured. What about the loan companies that call me 4-6x a day wanting their money? I tell them I can’t give it to them. They ask why and I tell them it’s because I don’t have a job that pays me enough to pay my bills (rent, electricity, phone, cable, internet, water) and pay you a ridiculous monthly payment. Why did I spend $30,000 in education and still have nothing to make of it? I respect those who make waiting tables a career, but that’s not me. I didn’t go to school to wait tables for the rest of my life. I shouldn’t have to fight this hard to find an entry level position and neither should my peers. Mr. President there are hundreds of thousands of young Americans looking for jobs. Our unemployment rate is 9 points higher than the national average. That is ridiculous, because many of us went to school, bettered ourselves for this country yet we still can’t find jobs that will allow us to put to work what we worked so hard for. Mr. President I am urging you to help us find a way to make sure more young Americans are hired for jobs out of college.  

I know there are more people out there in my same situation, so I’d love to hear from you and hear your thoughts. The only way we are going to see a change is if we speak up and be LOUD about it. Let Capitol Hill know that we are very POWERFUL and when we mobilize things actually happen. So please stand in unity with me as we fight to push forward a policy agenda that will help those getting ready to graduate from college. Your ideas and suggestions will be greatly appreciated!! 

All the Best!!!