Reflections

Achieve Atlanta Scholars, For the last few days I have been grieving for George Floyd, who was murdered in broad daylight by a police officer. I also grieve for countless other Black people whose lives have been unjustly terminated because of their race. I grieve for those who continue to be persecuted because of their religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, or immigration status. I grieve that our country has not lived up to its promise or potential. I grieve for all we have lost and will continue to lose due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taylor Ramsey is the Executive Director of OneGoal Metro Atlanta, one of our College Access Partners. Prior to this role, Taylor served as VP of training and support at Teach For America, leading their national summer teacher training institute, overseeing a team of 100 staff members, working in close concert with APS to serve summer school students, and training over 1,800 teachers. As a first-generation college student, Taylor knows the power of a postsecondary opportunity and is honored to lead OneGoal as part of the broader Achieve Atlanta education effort, in partnership with APS. 

Leaders across our community are envisioning a new world. At Achieve Atlanta, our students are doing their part and we must do ours. One of these amazing students, Bianca Smith, provides inspiration for us and shared how she’s coping with the COVID-19 crisis and what’s next for her. I’m honored to share a bit of her story below.

Growing up, I played tennis. I wasn’t very good, but I learned a lot about myself, especially about how external challenges impacted my performance. Because of my rank on the team, I was often matched to compete against lower-ranked players at tournaments. And frequently, when I played an opponent I should have easily beaten, I lost. I wasn’t motivated, nor did I have the confidence in myself to try to win.

Achieve Atlanta is growing! We are excited to introduce three new team members, bringing additional capabilities and increasing our ability to carry out our mission and vision.