February, 2007 - HDSF mentor, and Georgetown University graduate, Jessica Rucker sits down with DC Urban LifeStyle Magazine and talks about how the Hoop Dreams Sholarship Fund enriched her life.

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DCULS Magazine:  Jessica, tell me how this all started for you.

 

JR:   “For me, it actually started when I met Ms. Kay in a Street Law class.  She was a U.S. government teacher at H.D. Woodson Senior High School.”

 

“At the time, as a student, it was a little shocking to see a little white woman in a predominately African American high school, East of the River – West of the Park, but the more and more I engaged Ms. Kay I realized that she had the spirit the size of Rodin’s shadow and was so committed - not only to teaching, but also to social change through the Hoop Dreams Scholarship program."

 

DCULS Magazine:  Did a lot of the students share this same sentiment when they saw Susie Kay, a white person, giving so much of her time, and then perhaps asking why is this person doing this?  

 

JR:  “I want to say yes, but I don’t want to generalize either."

 

DCULS Magazine:  How old were you when you first started the program, when you met Ms. Kay?

 

JR:  "I was in the 11^th grade when I met Ms. Kay.  So maybe 15, 16 at the oldest."

 

DCULS Magazine: How long where you in the program?

 

JR: "I was in the program my 11^th and 12^th grade years at Woodson."

 

DCULS Magazine:  From where did you commute?

 

JR:  "I commuted from 13^th and Clifton Street, NW. I rode three buses to get to Woodson, specifically to be in the Marine Science program. I lived in Columbia Heights at the time.Columbia Heights was different from the neighborhood where Woodson was located, but our neighborhoods shared a lot of experiences. They both experienced social neglect. I live across the street from Clifton Terrace, one of the most notorious subsidized housing projects in the city. So, my classmates’ stories and our realities were parallel."

 

DCULS Magazine: How did Susie Kay change your outlook on life?  How did she help you see that there is more to what you can be that what you see in your part of the world?

 

JR:   "I think something that resonates so much with me because of my relationship with Ms. Kay, and my relationship with Hoop Dreams, is that the program is really more than just basketball.  That’s just a metaphor." 

 

"Hoop Dreams is really even more than sending people to college.  It’s really about building relationships…. building networks…building support systems.  Because getting into college, and almost anybody can do that, is only the first step, but to successfully matriculate, and then go on to be a very productive citizen, and paying it forward, and giving back to the community – that’s what stood out the most with me and shaped my outlook on life."

 

DCULS Magazine:  How many brothers and sisters do you have?

 

JR:    "I have 5 younger siblings ranging from ten to three years old."

 

DCULS Magazine:  Are you the oldest?

 

JR:   "I’m the oldest."

 

DCULS Magazine: How old are you?

 

JR:  (laughing) "I’m 23."

 

DCULS Magazine: How have you been able to take your experiences and share that with your younger siblings?

 

JR:   “With everything I do, I try to lift my head higher everyday – to fix my poster so the backs of my grandchildren will be straight.”

 

"I tell them to continue to grow, continue to move forward.  Learn from me, don’t make the mistakes I made, if at all possible, and keep believing in yourself."

 

DCULS Magazine:  I’m sure your mom has been an intricate part of the Hoop Dreams project.  What has your mom done to help with the process?

 

JR:  "I’ve learned so much from my Mom.  It was actually my Mom who encouraged me to participate in the program, despite my perceptions, despite my thoughts, despite all the support I thought I had, she encouraged me to be a whole person, well-rounded." 

 

"She’s always been in my corner, cheerleader leading me, supporting me in all of my academic endeavors."

 

DCULS Magazine:  Did you appreciate those efforts at the time?

 

JR:   "At the time, not as much as I do now, because I really didn’t understand a lot of the complexities of what she was doing."

 

"She was a single mother, I had younger siblings, and I didn’t really savor having a mom advocating for me.  Doing things like taking me to school when I needed it; speaking with my teachers when I needed it.  She’s been like my broker.  I understood it and appreciated it – but now, I can’t imagine what my life would be like if she didn’t position herself to be so active in my life."

 

DCULS Magazine:  Congratulations to you on your success, by the way.

 

JR:   "Thank you."

  

DCULS Magazine:  How were you able to not succumb to all the negative things surrounding you like so many youth do today?

 

JR:  "I had the opportunity to ask questions that allowed me to see things differently."

 

"Like I said, I rode three buses to get to school.  I passed the White House on my way to school.  I passed by so many different things that it gave me time to think about how the world, - the one world which is my home world, and the world that I passed through to get to school; and I started to realize there was a connection with where I lived and where I went to school, but there was something in between that was fuzzy for me." 

 

"So the bus rides, as much as I began to hate them, I also began to appreciate them and then working with Ms. Kay also helped because a lot the sentiments I had towards non-African Americans, she kind of helped demystify – and so I kept asking questions; larger structural questions about why things are the way the are."

 

"But more than that – how can we move past that and link with people [to create better circumstances]."

 

"I was able to create a certain life through asking questions.  A lot of my peers didn’t get the opportunity to live their dreams, or to leave their community and see this other D.C."

 

DCULS Magazine:  This month is Black History Month.  Who are some of your heroes, and sheroes?

 

JR:   "Well, I really respect Dominic Moulden, who is the Executive Director of ONE DC, he is a serious mentor for me.  Before I was employed at ONE DC his wife organized one of the only AAU girl’s basketball teams in DC.  For us, he was a like a father figure because he always attended all our games and supported us on and off the court. Then, there is Thomas Bullock. He coordinated a Saturday enrichment program for local youth at Georgetown University. He worked to make sure youth in Ward 7 were connected to resources at GU in order to create a more equitable learning experience for youth in Ward 7."

 

"But I also look up to people like Jay-Z and Lauren Hill.  Their music is very inspiring to me."

 

DCULS Magazine: Those are your present day heroes.  If you look at past heroes, who would they be?

 

JR:  "Ella Jo Baker .  Ella Jo Baker is, like, monumental to me.  When I look at some the things she organized, and some of the tracks that she laid, I really feel like I’m standing on the backs of giants."

 

DCULS Magazine: What words of wisdom would you like to leave for other young people?

 

JR:  "I’ll say this.  In 2007, many African American students, and other students of color are uniquely positioned to use college as an alternative avenue of legitimacy.  So many of my friends, and people that I’ve known, have had to result to other means to earn money, but I would really like to see the people of my generation use our creative genius, our innovation, our talent, and our passion, in a constructive way to get the things we want out of life."

 

"One of those ways can be college."