People's District

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

“I’ve always felt that this city is what you want it to be. If you want to walk around with a bad attitude or seek out bad stuff, you will see the awful side of D.C. And trust me, there is an awful side to this city. Look at the liquor stores that open early in the morning, the crime, the poverty, and the bad school. But if you want to find the good and walk around with a smile on your face, this city can be great. Just go sit in a park and watch the people go by. This city is like an international fashion show. I’ve seen both sides of the city, but obviously, I like the happy D.C. better. It is better for your mental health to stay on the good side.

“While I was born in D.C., I lived most of my life in Maryland. I moved back to D.C. about seven years ago. It was quite a transition for me to come back to the city, mostly because I now have to go to a D.C. public high school. In Maryland, my teachers taught from the heart and went above and beyond in the classroom. In D.C., my teachers teach us the minimum so that we can pass a test. So, I am passing my classes, but think this whole system is messed up.

“But like I said, this city is what you want it to be. From an early age, my Mom taught me to fight and get what I want. That was good and bad because it meant that Morgan always got what she wanted, but when she didn’t, I made everyone around me miserable. Now, things aren’t as bad as when I was a kid, but I am still direct and seek out and get what I want most of the time. There are times when it doesn’t work out, but that only encourages me to go harder the next time. You have to fight to make your slice of D.C. better. As I see in the schools, no one is going to do it for you.

“Even though I am still young, I am always thinking about my next move. I know that I want to run my own business. I will be happiest when Morgan defines how much Morgan gets paid and how much she needs to work. Now, I am trying to live in the moment. That means just being Morgan and using my skills of, I don’t want to say manipulation, but convincing to get what I want. So far, it is working out pretty well. Some of my big successes so far are being one of the few students who actually gets to choose her placement in my summer program and convincing a bouncer to let me into a 21+ nightclub. Being Morgan has its benefits.”