I have been a television reporter in the Gateway City for four years. I have told stories about intense protests, murdered children and extreme poverty. My experience covering news in St. Louis has convinced me that it is time to tell my story.
I dropped out of high school at the age 15. My father was not a significant part of my life. Mental illness left him incapable of guiding me through my formative years. My mother tried to shield me from the ills of our community, but the Minneapolis neighborhood we lived in was riddled with poverty, drugs and crime. Blinded by my surroundings, I could not see the value of dreaming. My story was turning into a disturbing tale.
The first chapter of my story mirrors what I see many young people in St. Louis going through today. Instead of pursuing their dreams, they are settling for unfulfilled lives. Instead of being photographed for graduation pictures, they are photographed for mug shots. Instead of being celebrated during milestones, they are mourned during funerals.
So how did I change my story? Becoming a father pushed me to change the plot. I wanted to inspire my son. Before he said his first words, I had earned a GED and began attending community college. I quickly realized I had a passion for storytelling.
In 2006, I received a scholarship to attend the University of Minnesota. It was a major accomplishment. However, because of my background I felt like an outcast on campus. I was older than most of my classmates. I was a father. I was also one of the few black students. I feared that I would not succeed in college.
Fortunately, I met a group of black students who encouraged me to keep dreaming. They were members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, an organization I would eventually join. They believed I could change my story.
I went on to make the Dean’s List, study abroad, intern for the U.S. House of Representatives and become a Ronald E. McNair Scholar. In 2009, I graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism and began a career as a television reporter.
That is my story. Sadly, covering news in St. Louis often reminds me of the first chapter.
Many young people in St. Louis fail to understand the value of dreaming, but our community also fails to understand their value. It is not too late for them to change their story. They could become a teacher, a lawyer or even a television reporter. My story is proof. If sharing my story helps more people believe that change is possible, it might be the most important story I will ever tell.
Anthony J. Kiekow is a broadcast journalist with News 4 KMOV in St. Louis.
