Submitted information and photo about Wheeler High School student Ashleigh Ewald, at left, who recently spoke to students at an Atlanta Jewish school with Rukaiya Masika, an Atlanta-area high school student from the Congo:
Rukaiya Masika is a 17 year old Atlanta metro high school student who is originally from the Congo of Africa. She shared her story about being born in the Congo and having to flee to another country because of the war going on in her native land. She described her tiring journey of traveling by foot from Congo to Uganda and recalled not being able to feel her legs from exhaustion. Rukaiya had to attend boarding school because her mother could not afford to feed her; the school provided food instead. She spoke about her hardships and even about being bullied by kids in her new school. Some kids teased her because of her cultural differences and even wearing a hijab (a religious garment used as a head covering).
She encouraged the students to be themselves and that fitting in is a waste of time because their difference is also their strength. Questions were posed at the end where one 5th grader asked if Rukaiya would be able to see her family again. Rukaiya replied by saying that some of her family was already in the United States; however, due to the exodus from her country she does not know who her father is. She then gave the students advice about staying hopeful in difficult situations and of the importance of always being themselves.
The audience consisted of 5th through 8th graders who rotated into the classroom to hear the stories being presented by the speakers. Ashleigh speaks about being born in the time of the One Child Policy. She was born on October 6, 2002, when the One Child Policy was happening. She discussed how being born a girl and cleft-affected were not safe combinations during the One Child Policy.
The students were in dismay, and Ashleigh continued by telling them how she felt fortunate to be alive. She went on about being adopted from Shenyang, China, at the age of 4 and being brought to live in Georgia. Then, she spoke about being put up for adoption a second time because of the possibility that her first adopted parents didn’t know how to care for a traumatized child. Ashleigh then revealed that foster home experiences are different for each child and that some grow out of the system.
Ashleigh shared her middle-school experiences of trying to cope with the need to be accepted, discussing how hanging out with the “cool kids” to try and fit in only slows down an individual from achieving their dreams.
Ashleigh started becoming a follower and a gossiper. In addition, Ashleigh informed the students that they will become the people they associate with, and so they should be mindful of that. Students were urged to be good to all and that people remember the way you treat them later on. Then, she explained how, ever since she dropped from that group, she was able to focus more on her goals and who she was, helping her get to her dream of being a U.S. Senator and motivational speaker. Her inspiration came from meeting a Holocaust survivor, and she knew she wanted to be a politician who will protect human rights. Finally, she wrapped up her speech by discussing how to slowly gain self-confidence and not seek acceptance from others. Ashleigh gave them advice on how being different is power rather than on fitting in. The unique is original!
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