A black child does not graduate only for themselves

18 October 2017, the day I should have been at my happiest… yet not. I was under a lot of strain and if it wasn’t for my family, which I had underestimated their importance, I would still be beating myself up and stuck in anxiety… that is one story for another day but my whole point is that when you graduate, you should be happy right! Happy that after so much hardwork, sleepless nights, and resilience you finally made it to the top or the finals. Although for me this will not be the last time I graduate.

It was a tough week prio to the graduation date, hiring, buying, requesting😨 . Hair, makeup, transport. It gives me a headache just from thinking about it! I’m glad it’s over.

I had planned at the beginning of the year I’d write a long speech about this moment. I can’t seem to find the right words to describe it. I’m happy but not as I imagined. I’m not excited. Maybe because the real world of work has just kicked in! Maybe beacause even with my attempts in trying to find work I’ll fall in the statistics of …% unemployed graduates in South Africa. Don’t get me wrong I’m optimistic and I will do all I can to find myself a good journalistic job that I deserve, or maybe I will take just about anything that comes along.

Not all was bad about my graduation, it was beautiful how my family came together to make it possible. I have to give credit to my baby’s father and his mom for being there.

I felt relieved that my aunt could come with me. I was not happy that my mom was not there but I’m not blaming her, she had her reasons.

I learnt something valuable about my experience on this big day:

How this day is not only just about me.

So I wrote something to clarify this.

I didn’t do it just for me, I did it for my son-his future depends on mine

I did for my late sister- I carried on from where she left off, I got to reach an age she never reached. I got to graduate and she was robbed off of that chance.

I did for my family, to make them proud. I’m the first to graduate and this to them is as important as it is to me

I did it for my community to bring hope to those who no longer see education as a key to success.

I did it for every student, learner or child at preschool still at the beginning of this never-ending journey to say it possible and they can make it too

I did it for every lecturer, teacher and every mentor who built me up to this woman fighting with all I have and beat the challenges of growing up in a black township. I say thank you.

I cannot forget to thank God, it was his mercies that this day finally came.

I am a graduate. I am proud. But this is where the real story of a Journalist actually begins and it looks scary…