None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody - a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns - bent down and helped us pick up our boots.

- Thurgood Marshall

Here is a quote by a man who over the years I have written many papers on and studied thoroughly. He has become a mentor to me, he has inspired me to achieve and build upon the framework which he so passionately worked for. Let us not idolize this man, but look to have a similar impact if not more of an impact than his legacy provides. It’s quotes like this that inspire Barack Obama’s historic speech yesterday, Yes We Can, yes we can work toward goals that seem impossible!

A child born to a Black mother in a state like Mississippi… has exactly the same rights as a white baby born to the wealthiest person in the United States. It’s not true, but I challenge anyone to say it is not a goal worth working for.