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“Dreamer”
By: Ram, 10th grade
Asian American LEAD’s (AALEAD) MD High School Program
I am a dreamer…
And often I question: “What is real?”
Is it the life I’m living, the dreams I’m dreaming
Or is it me…just me?
To know another you must know yourself
And that’s when you reveal your voice
The voice buried by social anxiety, parental expectations, and personal fears
The voice fully exposed in all its righteous glory years ago when you were a child
The voice that speaks for justice
The voice that has no resistance
Unwavering, Vigilant, Powerful
An ethereal super nova creating a new beginning…
It releases the inner child that wants to make a difference
The batman, the superman destined to save
Breaking the sphere of pessimism that swallows the world every day
To bring new hope, ideas, and vitality to the dried perspective of today
And to bring a smile…to bring a smile to you and I
But of course I realize that this is a dream
And that I need to wake up and grasp change with open arms
Connected to those who will do the same
And with this, I merge me with my dreams and reality
“Abnormal”
By: Alani, 11th grade
Asian American LEAD’s (AALEAD) MD High School Program
Saying “I will make a difference”
Isn’t enough.
And maybe it is too tough
To think any change will happen.
That cold feeling of jumping into dark, unknown water
Chokes you into thinking
You’re too small
Insignificant.
It consumes your body
Flushes into your mind.
Until that one spark of abnormality
Shocks a “then” stagnant mind.
Fingertips rumble like playing a distorted piano
And your body sways to the beat of the little abnormalities
Creating a drumbeat from the soundtrack
Of dream chasers and game changers of our past.
The water bursts into colors of
Gatorade orange for the many days of sweat shed
Blood red for the temperature
Of blood boiling with frustration, sadness, happiness, accomplishment.
Electric yellow for the zings of innovation, reinvention.
And then you step out of that water.
Because that water
Is now warm and bright and different.
Now it’s time to fall into
Another pit of dark, unknown water
Even if it’s scary.
Just imagine adding another song to that soundtrack.
Because being the difference, being different.
Changes everything.
As an immigrant family, my parents were constantly working. So, I often found myself alone. During my childhood, AALEAD was my safe haven. Once I joined AAALEAD, I had a place to go after school and people to call friends. AALEAD became an important part of my life. It wasn’t just a place for me to hang out, it was more than that. AALEAD helped me find myself.”
– Son Luu, AALEAD Alumnus
AALEAD’s mission is to promote the well-being of low-income and underserved Asian American youth through education, leadership, and community building. For more information, please visit www.aalead.org and make sure you follow us on Facebook and Twitter! Contact: schoi@aalead.org.
