Rashied’s Path was shaped by Education
Had anyone asked Rashied what he wanted to be when he grew up he would have said a computer engineer. Although that dream was somehow forgotten, he was fortunate enough to have elementary school teachers that gave him the gift of literacy. They also exposed him to life outside his neighborhood, sending him to a citywide speech competition where he caught a glimpse of a bigger world and a spark of confidence upon realizing that his words had power.
Public policy handed down from lawmakers in the form of busing also influenced Rashied’s life. He and other neighborhood children were bused miles away to a school in the suburbs. The one hour trip exposed him to a diverse world in a mixed race, upper-middle class school with stable families, enriching curriculum and established sports programs. In his new surroundings he learned to adapt, assimilate and grow.