SashaVilla

EMBARC
WhatMakestheDifference?Essay
Mar.2nd2016

Thejourneyoftwomenwhoseparentsonlywantedthebestforthem.Theygrewupin
poorneighborhoods,thatwerethoughttobegoodforthem,butdidtheopposite.Theywere
bothkidswhowenttoschool,butitonlydidbadforthem.WesMooreandWesleyMoorewere
twoboyswhosharedthename,buthadadifferentpathoftheirfuture.Itwasgreatlyaffectedby
thepeoplewhowereintheirlivessiblings,parents,andgrandparents,theenvironmentthey
developedin,andhoweducationwasntanactualpriorityforthem.Theywerebothlostata
youngage,butwhatmadeadifferenceforhowbothhadapositiveandnegativeoutcome,is
howtheywantedtobettertheirfuture,andwhohelpedinthatdecision.

Weshadtogrowupfastatayoungage.Itwasonlyhimandhismother,Mary.His
fatherwasestrange,andhisolderbrother,Tony,wasalreadyrunningthroughthestreets,
makinganameforhimself.Weswasthemanofthehouse(Moore18).Beingalone,making
hischoices,hadahugeimpactonWessincehismotherwasbusyworking,tryingtogivehim
andTonyabetterlife.Shewassoabsentfromtheirlives,asshetriedtoimproveitforherself
andthem.ThisaffectedWespoorly,sincehehadnoguidancetomaketherightdecision,and
notheretotellhimtodotherightthing,ortherightpeople.AswithWesley,hehadaloving
mother,butwhowasbrokenduetothedeathofhisfatherandherhusband.Shetriedtobe
strongforWesleyandhertwogirls,butthegrievingwasjusttoomuchforJoytohandleby
herself.Shedidtherightthinglookingforhelpfromherparents,movinginwiththemtoalso
modelgoodbehaviorwithdeclipineforWesley.Anotherpersonwhowasagoodguidancefor
WesleywasUncleHoward.HewouldbethereforWesley,andlistentohim,especiallywhenhe
gotbackhomefrommilitaryschool.HewouldmotivateWesleytodosomuchmore,liketelling
himabouttheNBA(Moore116).WhileitwasntinWesleysviewforhisfuture,hestillgavehim
otheroptionstothinkabout.WesleyandWesbothhadmalefiguresinplaceoftheirfathers,it
justhadtobetherightpersontomotivateinthebestpath.

WhileWesgrewupfaster,italsohadtodowithwherehelivedWestBaltimore.Wesley
grewupinadrugfilledneighborhoodoftheBronx,inwhichhismotherthoughtitwasbetter
thanitactuallywas.Everywherethesefamilieswent,therewascrimeorproblemsthatcouldnt
bechanged.Onequotethatreallyhighlightsbothoftheirpredictionswouldbefromwhen
WesleyvisitedWesinprison,andheasked,Doyouthinkwerealljustproductsofour
environment?(Moore124).AlthoughWesgrewupinagoodneighborhood,itwasntstressed
enoughabouthowimportantitwastogetaneducation.Hewasofteninfluencedfromhis
friendsandgirlstonotdoanything,buteverythingwasrightinfrontofhim.AswithWesley,he
grewupinpoorneighborhoodandwenttoagoodschool.Buthiswholefamilyseenitwasnt
doinganygoodforhim,andhethrewthatawaytoo,sohisfamilyintervenedandsenthimto
militaryschool.Hecostedalotforthem,buttheyallknewhehadthedrivetodogreat.Itwas

hiscouragetowanttodowellintheschool,whereheshapedintothepersonhewas.Wesleys
opportunitieswerewiderthanWes,suchasgoingtoAfricaandlearningmoreabouttheculture
there.WeswasstuckinAmerica,tryingtoprovideforhisbabysmotherandhischildren.
Locationforthesetwomenreallyaffectedhowtheirpathswerechanged,andlearningfromthe
surrounding,adaptingaswell.Eitherforthebetterorworse,wastheirdecisionaswell.

EducationisonethingbothWesleysknewwasimportant,butonlyoneactuallytookthe
rightstepstotheirfulladvantage.Wesleywenttoaprivateschool,butdidpoorly,behaviorand
academically.Hisreputationgreatlyaffectedhowbothhisneighborhoodfriendsandhisschool
friendsactedtowardshim.Hisinvolvementwithpettycrimes,suchastagging,skippingclass,
andsmokebombs,gaveJoythepushtosendhimtothemilitaryacademy(Moore87).The
disciplineandstrictnesswasamajorfactoraswell,butWesgrewtoappreciateeverythinghe
wastaughtthere.AswithWes,schoolwasneverimportant,becausehewasbusysellingdrugs
andgettingintophysicallyandverbalfightswithhismotherandbrother.Whenhedidgoto
school,itwasonlyonthebusridetheretoflirtwithgirls(Moore9799).ThelackofotherWes
participationinschoolreallyshowswherehisprioritieswhere.Wesdidntevengraduatefrom
highschoolwhenhewassupposeto,butdidgethisGEDfromJobCorps(Moore142).Both
Mooresaresmartmen,theyjustalwaysdidntmaketherightdecisions.

TheOtherWesMoore
reallyteachesstudents,andanyonewhoreadsthebook,about
howtouseopportunitytothefullest.BothWesandWesleyMoorehadeverythingtheyneeded
tosucceedacaringfamily,andsomewhatgoodneighborhood,andthechancetogetan
education.Whilenotalloftheoptionsweregood,theystillwouldhave/madeadifferencein
thesemen'slivestheyjustchoseindifferentways.Whatmadeadifferenceiswhohelpedthem
andwhatresourcestheyhad.