My name is Layla Ndiaye, I was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 22, 2007, where I currently live with my mom and step-dad, my twin little sisters, both nine, one of my older sisters, nine-teen. I have a total of seven siblings, five on my mothers side, two on or probably more on my dads side.
My mom sides of the family is Christian, my dads side of the family is Muslim, so growing up in both house holds, having to go to a Arabic school when I was with my dad, and regular CPS school when I was with my mom — which was most of the time. My experience living in Chicago, for the most part, has been very memorable thing for me.
I think growing up on the West Side of Chicago is a different experience from anybody that lives in other countries and states. From the block parties and the candy lady, to much more. Most memories are good; some are traumatizing.
Chicago: Not Your Ordinary Neighborhood
Like going to school on the first day and seeing the police outside with red tape because someone got shot in front of our school. Or having to go on lockdown because of the shooting outside. Then, there’s seeing people get shot on your way to go look at a new house. Or getting a gun pulled out on you on your way to school.
Living here people have seen lots of things that should not be considered normal. It common to hear gun shots and not being fazed. Not to mention how people losing friends and family members before they even turn 16. Not everything here is bad though. There’s lots of nice and kind people that look out for others. I have lots of good memories everyday.
Education and Working in Chicago
I go to North Lawndale college Prep, and I take all honors classes, but I did not go there my freshman year. Before I transferred, I went to Prosser, but I did not really like it. Transferring was a good decision because my grades are way better.
When I graduate I want to go to a HBCU college. Furthermore, I want my major to be psychology so that I can understand the behavior of kids and teens that are in psych ward. My older sister worked in a psych ward for kids and teens. She used to tell me stories about the youth in the place.
Many times she would tell me about how the kids used to try and fight the staff sometimes. So I asked her about the was the worse reason somebody got sent into the ward. She said it was a sixteen year old boy that was in there for stabbing his step father. The dad used to abuse him and his mother.
Tuning in Interest
That story made me interested about mentality ill kids and teens. How their mind is different from every other teen. Sometimes I think its not their fault they act they way that they do because of how their brain functions and if they would they would choose to do the right thing.
My goal in life is to be successful in my career path, live in a comfortable lifestyle in my own home. My dream car which is a Rolls Royce. When I get older I want to travel a lot. One place I really want to go is the capital of Japan, Tokyo.
I also want to go to other places like Hawaii and Africa. I’ve already been to the Bahamas, two parts of Florida, and Mexico. I also went on a four to five day cruise twice. The first time I got on a plane, I was very scared because I have a really big fear of heights.
By Layla Ndiaye
Featured Image Courtesy of Chad Davis‘ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Eric Allix Rogers‘ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
