Javier Sarmiento

Hello, my name is Javier Sarmiento and I am an Afro-Latino male from Harlem, New York. I am a first generation college student. I am passionate about Racial Injustice. I want to use my platform as a journalist to create change in my community.

Growing up in Harlem, I knew the neighborhood had always been portrayed in a negative light by the media. Across the US, inner cities like Harlem have reputations for gun violence, gangs, and drugs, but there’s so much more to the community than that. We have great restaurants, parks, and stores and great people who give back to the community. As a journalist, I want to show this side of Harlem and change the perception of inner cities across the country. Journalism will provide me with a platform to share stories about people who go above and beyond for their communities. Journalists have the power to provoke and facilitate discussions about difficult topics, such as creating dialogues between local police departments and community board members on how to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community. My goal is to share these stories and facilitate these conversations to help create a safer environment for my community.

Receiving a scholarship will enable me to follow my dream and build a great future for my family and community. I am a hardworking student, and I will commit myself fully to achieve great results. Since my life has been difficult living in public housing and on food stamps, not sure when food might run out, a scholarship will save me from this hard life and enable me to focus more on my studies.