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L.A. Girl Goes From Homeless To Harvard

Written by Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger on June 22, 2009 10:38 am

From The L.A. Times

Khadijah Williams stepped into chemistry class and instantly tuned out the commotion.

She walked past students laughing, gossiping, napping and combing one another’s hair. Past a cellphone blaring rap songs. And past a substitute teacher sitting in a near-daze.

Quietly, the 18-year-old settled into an empty table, flipped open her physics book and focused. Nothing mattered now except homework.

“No wonder you’re going to Harvard,” a girl teased her.

Around here, Khadijah is known as “Harvard girl,” the “smart girl” and the girl with the contagious smile who landed at Jefferson High School only 18 months ago.

What students don’t know is that she is also a homeless girl.

As long as she can remember, Khadijah has floated from shelters to motels to armories along the West Coast with her mother. She has attended 12 schools in 12 years; lived out of garbage bags among pimps, prostitutes and drug dealers. Every morning, she upheld her dignity, making sure she didn’t smell or look disheveled.

On the streets, she learned how to hunt for their next meal, plot the next bus route and help choose a secure place to sleep — survival skills she applied with passion to her education.

Only a few mentors and Harvard officials know her background. She never wanted other students to know her secret — not until her plane left for the East Coast hours after her Friday evening graduation.

“I was so proud of being smart I never wanted people to say, ‘You got the easy way out because you’re homeless,’ ” she said. “I never saw it as an excuse.”

Read The Whole Story


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14 Year Old Girl Inspires Obama

From South Central To Oxford: Crenshaw Student Gets a Break

Tags: Harvard, Homeless, Los Angeles
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News One Links

 
  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Toyia_Nchantn/ Toyia_Nchantn

    That’s what’s up…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/PlatinumPlusLadee/ PlatinumPlusLadee

    I give this young lady nothing but props she deserves everything she has worked for…
    Google Liz Murray…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/blackasiaX/ blackasiaX

    “Tony Hansberry 14 years old created a new surgery technique”

    I love my people.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/shoot4damoon/ shoot4damoon

    WOW that goes to show you that in the most negative of enviroments you can suceed. She is alot better than me if I was in her shoes.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/shoot4damoon/ shoot4damoon

    succeed…what is she marjoring in?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/haitiandyme99/ haitiandyme99

    I give this young lady mad props because not only did she not let her situation put her down but rose above and beyond it to get to where she’s at and I truly wish her luck in all she does in the future and god bless her

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/NoPaperGangstas/ NoPaperGangstas

    The funny thing is that while her classmates are making fun of her and trying to be little her character, her classmates are making a ass out of the rest of us black people. Its so funny how we can put down people like this who are struggling to gain success, but later in life they trying to ride on the coat tails to the people they mad fun of in high school.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/GeTLiKeMe84/ GeTLiKeMe84

    As much as i my President i think it takes away from the other childrens accomplishments by listing Sasha and Mahlia as child heroes…on what basis?..just a thought

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Idontdateblackgirls/ Idontdateblackgirls

    First of all, a correction needs to be made. The part that say “On the streets, she learned how to hunt for their next meal…” should be “On the streets, she learned how to hunt for her next meal…” Anyway, I’m glad that she made it to Harvard. And Sasha and Malia are not heroes. They just happen to be the president’s daughters.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/blackdiamond184/ blackdiamond184

    Good for her. I hope the people who are always complaining that they are being held down on this site get something out of this article. How are the Obama sisters heroes ?
    And why doesn’t black planet have more articles like this one ?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/britt4lyfe77/ britt4lyfe77

    This girl deserves alot of respect. There are too many other black people complaining about their situations, but don’t do anything about it. They always say what they can’t do instead of trying to think about their options. She has proven that you’re not supposed to let your present circ**stance dictate who you want to be in the future.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/rajarabbit/ rajarabbit

    Yes. I love to hear stories like this. I wish these stories were made into headline news and played often then these senseless sambo rap acts.

    I think alot of teenage kids should read her story. She has the no excuse mentality. She definitely been through a rough life and could have easily given up. I am proud of this woman.

    Alot of teenage black kids need to stop all this bs about if you are getting good grades and trying to get ahead you are trying to be white. I wish more black kids would focus on something rather than rap and what new Jordans are coming out. Not to say everybody can go to Ivy league or college itself, but just to have some kind of goal in life.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/mii_luv/ mii_luv

    WOT A GIRL,WISH I HAVE HER SPIRIT BUT MA DEAR UPPLZ KEEP IT

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/slimnasty6996/ slimnasty6996

    It makes me feel good to read articles like this, Its very funny that you never read things like this on the front page of Yahoo or AOL. Keep up the good work!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/doubledragon01/ doubledragon01

    Now THAT just uplifted my motivation!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/WestsideCartelAtl85/ WestsideCartelAtl85

    Great story. I can relate to her situation by being made fun of because I was intelligent and always wanting the best. It’s plenty of young Blacks just like her in this country. But their stories go on deaf ears though. The media rather show Blacks in a negative light than positive one.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Breezy731/ Breezy731

    It’s amazing b/c the last person that did this got a story on Lifetime. But she wasn’t african american. Goes to show you.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/dat-boy205/ dat-boy205

    thank you about time you start inspiring people instead of

    posting dumb s**t

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tasty194/ Tasty194

    I LIKE ALL THE POSTINGS I SEE ON HERE I COULD CARE LESS WAT DAT-BOY IS TALKING ABOUT! I LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT EVERYTHING! SO TA HELL WIT HIM! ANYWAYSSSSSSSSSSSSS I LOVE STORIES LYKE THIS ONE! GOES TO SHOW THAT ANYONE CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING! AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH BREEZY!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tasty194/ Tasty194

    AND ITS A LOT MORE SUCCESSFUL BLACKS LYKE WESTSIDE THAT YOU WILL NEVER HEAR ABOUT!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tasty194/ Tasty194

    AND YES IM HAPPY THAT SHE WORKED AGAINST ALL ODDS! BUT IT’S STILL NOT THE SAME AS MANY PEOPLE QUOTING “ALL BLACK PEOPLE BLAMING IT ON THE WHITE MAN!”

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/coyoteblu/ coyoteblu

    You took the words right out of my mouth. 6-22-2009@2:39pm

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/FckinRghtIDidIt313/ FckinRghtIDidIt313

    This is an awesome story I wish her the best of luck.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jayghettobrat/ jayghettobrat

    great and an inspiring story alot of people need to pay attention to storys like this instead of the BS they do read.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/RP_No_Less/ RP_No_Less

    Great article….Goes to show you how so many people can be focused on petty things and not look foward to the future, you just never know what someone may become.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/the_realest2004/ the_realest2004

    But let her be a young w***e talkin about how she like suckin dycks and get money from niggaz….her story would be all over the TV and radio. Think about this also…Before Michelle Obama the last positive black female the American media exposed us to was CLAIRE HUXTABLE!!!

    WTF?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/the_realest2004/ the_realest2004

    ***Positive and ACCOMPLISHED black female

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MsSatisfactory2009/ MsSatisfactory2009

    Nothin is impossible nowadays and this is a great story. Any and everybody can come out strong if they stick to it and keep focused. Congratulations to her and it will only get better from here.
    *MsSatisfactory2009*

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/LuvBeauti/ LuvBeauti

    That is so Beautiful! I wish her much success & happiness^_^

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/COOL_BENTLEY/ COOL_BENTLEY

    WOW ME KNOW SOME FOLKS WENT
    FROM HARVARD TO HOMELESSNESS

    THEY SHOULD OF LEFT THOSE
    CRACK BOTTLES ALONE !!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/bigj97216/ bigj97216

    A beautiful and heart warming story.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/illusivetassi_1/ illusivetassi_1

    Congratulations to her .. such an inspiring story… Kudos

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/mz_cynth71/ mz_cynth71

    Congratulations to her && God Bless. Maybe she can find a place for her mother && little sister once she gets settled. This is a very inspiring story. With christ anything is possible.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/msniice50/ msniice50

    I think it’s wonderful that she was able to get out the hood unscathe. Some children have a home,food clean clothes and everything else that they need and turn out to be nothing. So from me to you young lady, keep striving for the best and no matter what the situation keep your head held high. Cause know this they’ll never be able to take this experience from you. Good luck.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/K_E_I/ K_E_I

    My Warmest CONGRADS, Too Her and Her Family! That GODS SPIRIT SHELTER AND KEPT HER FROM HARM!

    This Is What I Love Hearing!

    Glory Unto God, May He Continue Too Constantly Upheld Those That Seek Him In Constant Integrity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/2daTopnonStop/ 2daTopnonStop

    Wondeful!!!! These are the testimonies that are birthed from trials & tribulations…God bless her all the days of her life!!!!

    You go girl!!!

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