“I think it is important to be involved in my community because I’m the future. If I’m not active now, things cannot get better tomorrow,” says Destiny Sanders, a junior at Mount Carmel Academy.
Sanders’ church, Fifth African Baptist Church, goes out and feeds the homeless on every fourth Saturday as part of its outreach ministry. Sanders values this experience because it shows her that everyone is a child of God no matter how they look, speak or act.
Sanders is also involved in the What Love Can Do project. This project was constructed in Sanders’ African American Literature class and based around the book of the same name. The class created a Twitter and blog to help spread the message. Sanders’ mission was to get the book in the hands of more people, because of all the lessons and morals in the book and can be compared to current events.
“Through activism, I’ve gained more knowledge and understanding on issues that I would have never thought about,” says Sanders. “I can make smarter decisions because I understand how they’ll affect myself and others.”
At Mount Carmel, Sanders is involved in Mount Carmel Cubs Against Destructive Decisions (McCadd). This club teaches students the consequences of drunk driving, doing drugs and reckless driving. This club has allowed Sanders to know how one harmful decision can impact her life and others.
Sanders says, “I’ve gained compassion. I’ve learned how to be a true friend, and help others deal with difficult situations in their life.”
Outside of school, Sanders is a member of Louisiana’s Teen Ambassadors Against Crime, the youth division of Crimestoppers. Being a part of Crimestoppers has been opened Sanders’ eyes to show her that everyone in the community plays a role in ending crime.
Reverend Samson “Skip” Alexander inspired Sanders to become an activist. This New Orleanian has been a civil rights activist for his entire life. Alexander, along with 100 civil right leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., created the Southern Christian Leadership Conference at the New Zion Baptist Church in New Orleans.
Sanders will graduate from Mount Carmel Academy in 2019. She has taken piano lessons since 2010 and is classically trained and is focusing on her jazz skills. She hopes to attend Loyola University in New Orleans or Howard University in Washington DC. She would like to major in Criminology and Sociology, and continue her studies at law school.