Continuing to Do the Work- Mike’l Gregory

“By being in the classroom at Alive & Free-you’re talking about things you’re not talking about in your community,” shares Mike’l Gregory, a recent graduate of USF.

 “I am a descendant of love, honor, trust and faith. I think my faith is so pivotal to who I am and who I have been able to become.  I am a learner- I seek to learn, engage and be a part of different initiatives. I like this idea of being a forever learner and I try to live out daily. I like seek to love and be loved I feel Alive & Free really helped me with recognizing that I was rejecting love and I was rejecting the love for myself. I realized that wasn’t a good feeling and that I wanted to give and receive love. I’ve become a more well-rounded person in this idea of being more open and caring and embracing that I am someone that is a descendant of love, peace, joy, faith. I’m on the backs of my God and my ancestors who have built this foundation of love and trust, even through pain and hardship that I now seek to explore and show in all my day-to-day interactions. 

Growing up in San Francisco is unlike any other place. There are microclimates in which you are able to see and be around and experience. I was born and raised in Bayview-Hunters Point and living there was completely different from the places I went to school. I went to school in the Ingleside District which is a little bit more affluent compared to Bayview-Hunter’s Point. When I would go home, things were so much different- the poverty level and the median income level is much lower than it is in the neighborhood in which I went to schools. Even coming to college at USF felt like I went many miles away because it was so far away and out of range and out of thought to what I grew up in.

Being in the classroom at Alive & Free, we would talk about things in which we’re not talking about in our community.  We were able to analyze and say things like ‘this is actually unhealthy’ and  ‘this is actually for my detriment than it is for my benefit’.  I’ve been taught & trained to deconstruct that notion within the classroom which is caring, uplifting and loving-which honors your story essentially.  We started the shadow work at Alive & Free with Ms. Estell’s College Prep course and I only touched the surface level of it. Coming to college inspired me to continue to do the work as I saw other people doing the work, expressing themselves and thriving in it. I was able to get to the root of where I want to be and how I can get there.  I learned how to express myself, even when it wasn’t the norm in my community. I learned to tell someone I love them and became unafraid to share my thoughts and comments.  

I came into Alive & Free very nervous but it was through the  loving care, support and community that pushes you to say ‘this is who I am. This is my story but this isn’t where the story ends.’ I learned how to be confident that all this is working for my good.  I am going to be better because I am in this space and I am trying.  I see more for my life because I acknowledge that where I won’t be where I end up. Those ideas started at Alive & Free really branched into so much more.  It was a place where that mindset was birthed, curated and fostered as I was able to come out of this shell. “