Fatimata ❤️

Dreams do come true.
I’m a Truman Scholar. Second in school history. I can not believe this. There are so many people that I want to thank. I want to thank my advisors, school, professors for believing in me. I want to thank the Truman scholar community for taking the time out of your day to answer any questions I had, do mock interviews and give much needed advice. I want to thank my friends for being there for me and continually encouraging me to believe in myself. I want to thank the regional panel and the Truman foundation for choosing me. I want to thank Girl Up, NMG, YMAN and all the other organizations that have given me the space to pursue my passions and uplift my community in the process.

As a first generation Gambian-Senegalese low income student I knew early on that I would need as much support as I could get to pursue my dreams and passions. My mother never had the privilege to attend school or really discover her passions but she gave me intangible traits. She taught me to be selfless, to be kind, to be compassionate, to give even if you don’t have much yourself. She believed in me. She taught me to be a guiding light for others as she has done for me. This is for every girl, everywhere whose passions and dreams matter just as much.

I thank you all for continuing to be apart of my journey. I thank my parents for showering me with love and investing in me. I am so thankful.

Just as you all have done for me I hope to continue to do the same for others. Congratulations to all the fellow scholars, finalists and everyone who has gone through the process. Super excited to be apart of this community. #trumanscholar #truman22