Not taking “no” for an answer

Tariah (C/O 2021) is unapologetically Black—and in being so, she summons her grandmothers.

The high school senior lost them both, maternal and paternal, under tragic circumstances during her freshman year:  Charlane to brain cancer after a misdiagnosis that cost precious time, and Fay to a house fire that also claimed the life of Tariah’s baby cousin.

“In that darkest point in my life is where I shined the brightest internally,” Tariah says. “It just turned on a light, like, ‘It’s more than you. It’s for them.’ They always reminded me what a powerful Black woman I am. They’re my reason I do everything I do.” 

And Tariah does a lot. 

With the support of TeenSHARP, Tariah is freshly accepted into Howard University and challenging herself academically by taking two dual-enrollment classes at DelTech, and Honors World History at her high school. She’s interning at Unlock the Light, where she recently trained to become a peer specialist for those in mental health crisis. She’s sitting alongside school district leaders to help shape the district’s agenda for equity and racial justice. She’s preparing to become a nationally-registered EMT in coming months. And she’s a founding member of Teens Drive Change and the Delaware Black Student Coalition; the latter launched in February to bring about policy change, organize and mobilize students for social justice, and provide “a space where everyone can just be Black.” 

Yet one priority has risen to the top these days as Tariah’s most urgent and demanding responsibility:   finding scholarship money so she can actually attend Howard, her dream school.

“I couldn’t even explain to you how badly I want to go to Howard,” Tariah says. “But I don’t have $20,000 to spend.” 

That’s why she’s applying around-the-clock for merit scholarships; networking with Howard students and alums; and thinking outside the box to make it happen—like pitching her story to national publications. Meanwhile, with TeenSHARP’s help with the college application process, she is keeping her options open; she’s already been offered the prestigious McCabe merit scholarship by Swarthmore—one of about seven students among thousands who applied. 

“My wanting to go to Howard is a reflection of my experience in predominantly white spaces,” she says. “I’m tired of being unrepresented, of masking who I really am for other people’s comfort. I’m tired of being digestible for people. At the end of the day, I’m the one who suffers for that.”

One of those predominantly white spaces is her high school—where Tariah has been rallying for a Black Student Union (BSU) since her freshman year; a space where Black students can celebrate themselves. She’s been told “no” every time. Then spring 2020 happened:  a bold resurgence of Black Lives Matter in the face of police brutality nationwide. Tariah wanted to see much more from the education system response.

 “Their silence was deafening,” she says. “Not only were the Black students hurting, but the ignorance of the white students grew louder and more painful.”

Tariah—then class president—took matters into her own hands, creating an Instagram page to report student experiences of racism in her school district. Hundreds of stories poured in seemingly overnight. Ultimately the account reached 2,500 followers—including Delaware Senator Chris Coons—in a couple  of days, and school administrators were calling Tariah to discuss the ramifications.

In that moment, unsure of how to proceed, Tariah called TeenSHARP for advice: an organization she had just joined, where she hadn’t met anyone in person yet. And Co-Founder Atnre Alleyne was on the other end.

“He said, ‘Don’t be worried. You’ve got a team behind you,” Tariah recalls. “That a stranger was so ready to help me— to do this with me. That’s something I really respect about TeenSHARP.” 

In the aftermath of the Instagram account, Tariah entered a candid conversation with school officials.  The result? A district-wide diversity taskforce—but no Black Student Union for Tariah’s high school. 

“That’s when Mr.  Atnre told me, ‘If it’s not there then make it yourself,’” Tariah says. So she did, in partnership with six other students who hail from Magnolia to Wilmington. 

Together, Tariah, Amanda (C/O ’21), Hasana (C/O ’21), Kassidy, Kaylan (C/O ’21), Elise, and Lauren created their own Black Student Union—called the Delaware Black Student Coalition—for the whole state. The organization launched in late February, and has already drawn 25 members. 

“Mr. Atnre saw something in me,” Tariah said. “And that’s all I wanted with a BSU: a space where all Black student leaders could see their potential, and how powerful they are. That’s what he did for me. And it’s why I want to go to Howard.”

For now, Tariah continues to prowl for scholarship opportunities. She didn’t take “no” for an answer with the Black Student Union, and she doesn’t want to accept it for herself either. Going to Howard is about more than college, in many ways. It’s about being Black and walking in her power. 

“Skinny, tall, and with an Afro,” Tariah says, describing one of her role models—her grandmother Charlane. “That was her, and that’s who I am, too, really.”