The Reward

  A vertical waved-shaped mirror withholds my reflection. Looking into my mirror I see a young man who looks the same despite going through many trails. My eyes are full of stress disguised as amusement. My mouth is full of teeth that have been sharpened by the pages I've ripped through over the past eight years. Ahead of me is a road that only I can take. Like a lion chasing after a wildebeest or a hawk eyeing a pigeon, I'm still hungry. A low ego and a balanced temper have helped me stay on course. Nothing is impossible as long as I have God, family, and humility.    

  Julie Robles is staring into a mirror in the bathroom of a Bronx nursing home. Two months ago, she was bused hailing from Honduras. She left behind a husband and a son to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. Working hard at the nursing home, Julie is saving money so she can pay for courses while attending Bronx Community College. English may not be her first language, but Julie is doing whatever it takes to learn it. Whether it's through watching soap operas or listening to motivational speakers, Julie is learning fast and is soaking up everything she can. Julie is young, passionate, and goal oriented. All she needs to do is stay focused, keep a leveled head, and remember where she comes from.       

  Vladimir Zelensky is holding a broken hand mirror. One half of the mirror holds his reflection. While Vladimir looks into his reflection he sees the horrors of the past, possibilities of the present, and dreams of the future. Vladimir and his family were displaced and fled Ukraine on December 31, 2022. Everyone survived but his father (1970-2022). At twenty-one this made Vladimir the man of the house. Conditions inside his Washington Heights apartment is not the best. Vladimir's mother only makes enough to cook one pot meals. Construction work is how Vladimir helps provide for his mother and two younger siblings. At the moment Vladimir doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. All he needs to do is have faith in himself, be optimistic, and always be willing to learn new things.      

  Jill Strauss', PhD reflection bounces off the glass cover of her newly received doctoral degree. Feelings of guilt and sadness run through her body. Standing in the middle of her office inside of the main building (199 Chambers Street) of BMCC (Borough of Manhattan Community College), Jill feels alone. The best feeling Strauss gets is when she's teaching Conflict Resolution to students of different walks of life and backgrounds. These same students (who are mostly Gen Z) are the ones who force Strauss to reconsider and reevaluate her social and political stances. Being of Jewish descent, Strauss has family roots in Israel. Jill's mother is a retired dancer, and her father was the owner of a pharmacy in Tel Aviv. Jill has been thankful for everything her parents had done for her. Thinking about all the memories that she has of her family's history makes Jill tear up. Jill dries her eyes, collects her things, reminds herself that everything is going to be okay, and is on her way to teach a class. All she needs to do is be proud to be an Israeli American, listen to the stories of others, and always be willing to teach the up-and-coming generation the skills needed to make the world a better place.     

  Omar Abass is on his Android Galaxy A20 and happens to see his reflection. Going through his gallery of photos there are pictures of Time Square, the Statue of Liberty, and most important people. These people are not Wall Street Stockbrokers or white-collar workers, but everyday men and women working hard to make something of themselves. In 2018 Omar received an associate degree in arts & design from Queensborough Community College. The skills and crafts from Queensborough mixed with his love for people gives Omar the blueprint he needs to build a name for himself. Omar's technique is simple. What he does is takes the pictures in his gallery and uploads them to his laptop. While looking at the selected picture, Omar takes a large sized canvas and makes the person in the picture whatever he desires. Omar loves to take a random person and turn him or her into the Lady Justice or the Statue of Liberty. When Omar was six years old, he ran away from his home in Palestine and landed in a safe haven called Venice, Italy. While sleeping on the streets of Venice a lady who ran an orphanage took him in as her own. Living in this orphanage for eight years Omar would learn Italian, Greek, French, and Spanish. Amongst all the children, Omar was known as the kid who would draw everywhere and on everything. Noticing this Mrs. Coppola, the lady that ran the orphanage put Omar in art classes on Saturdays. This helped Omar expand his skills in art and kept him out of trouble. Although Mrs. Coppola died when Omar was thirteen, she still has a place in his heart. It would be at thirteen when Omar would touch American soil by being adopted by a Caucasian couple from San Francisco. Samuel and Sarah Brown loved Omar and provided all his needs. On his eighteenth birthday Samuel and Sarah gifted Omar with a condo in Queens and an art gig connected to a big name in the art world. Omar accepted the condo but rejected the art gig. If he was going to become a respected name in art, he was determined to put in the work and earn his spot. Both parents respected their son's decision. As a person of Palestinian descent, he doesn't have a side when it comes to the ongoing conflict between the state of Israel and Palestine. Omar's stance is simple, "right is right and wrong and is wrong." He also likes to keep his opinions on the conflict to himself. A truth seeker is a label Omar wears on his sleeve. The best device to display this is through his work. Omar Abass Brown is a young man that we all should look to as an example. All the horrors he witnessed as a child, the distasteful nicknames he has been called, being misunderstood because of his accent, and having great taste in art and fashion. These are the things that make him who he is today. Shame, guilt, or confusion does not stain his development but propels it.     

  In this world people are filled with pride and self-centeredness. Often blinded by material riches, people forget about what is truly important. But those of us who go through hardships and can see the light at the end of the tunnel deserve an encore. Not just any old hand claps from strangers, but more like being on the right side of humanity. Those of us who are on the right side of humanity are called to be the true influencers, innovators, and intellectuals. We are the ones who are divinely chosen to make this world a safer and functional place to live in. Yes, we may not be perfect, but God has put us on this earth at this time for a purpose. We don't have to wear capes and name brands to do what God commands us to do. Obeying Him is all that matters.