Michelle Lezama

Mrs. Davis

Composition II

8 February 2024

Make a Brighter Day; Let’s Start Giving

Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie penned the lyrics to “We Are the World” in 1985 as a

response the UKs offering of “Do They Know It’s Christmas.” Both tunes were created to

benefit those who were affected by poverty, and both were highly successful. Now, I am quite

aware of my own inability to gather well-known artists to sing the haphazardly written tune I

might produce, but I know that I can make a difference in my own corner of the world. I am

committed to assisting others in their times of need.

For a bit of history, I am committed to the care of others – no matter the situation. My

maternal grandma ingrained the importance of caring for others through her actions every day of

her life. She was aware of her surroundings and could sense the needs of others and placed those

needs before her own. She delivered meals to the elderly until she was 92 years old; she

provided financial support to those in need; she lived her commitment. Like me, Alex Sheen

was impacted by the life of his father. When his father died, Sheen made a commitment to care

for others and follow through every single time. His movement was spurred by a letter from a

young girl who had contemplated ending her life; she made a commitment to live each day

because of his influence(Sheen). Finally, members from my church family guide my decisions

and commitment to the care of others. From Ken Meyer who works daily caring for others to

Rex Largent who gives of his time to better the lives of others to Sabrina Jones who retired early

to give back to her community, I am surrounded by examples of committed care.

 One of my aspirations is to assist students who are aging out of foster care. There are two

characters in my aspirational goal. Alton Carter, a long-time friend of mine and a product of the

foster care system, has been a major influence in this aspiration. His story of resilience, despite a

system that was not designed to protect and guide children in need, is inspiring. The next

influence is Carly W., a former student and current DHS worker. Carly is a pleasant surprise to

the DHS world. She has observed her mom in this role and has made it her current life passion

to care for children through their aging out experience. This is where I enter the story. Recently,

one of Carly’s first charges aged out and had nothing. With her guidance, I took my first step

into this life-time goal of providing for others. Armed with a wonderful support group, I was

able to organize not only food donations but also furniture, appliances, and other needs that this

charge did not have readily available. Knowing that this person will have a head start as an 18-

year-old tackling yet another aspect of the world brings me much joy, and I now have a team of

supporters who are ready to support the next charge.

Another of my aspirations is caring for others through food.

1.

2.

There were few positives that ______________ from the pandemic, but I can personally note

that I grew as a caring individual during this time. My husband and I made a commitment to

reach out to those who were unable to leave their homes. Several nights a week, we would plan

a meal for ourselves and at least two others. While we could not physically share a meal with

our guests, we did package portions and deliver at meal time. We continued this practice for

most of two years. Kind words and nourishment was a commitment that we made.
 Works Cited

Sheen, Alex. “Because I Said I Would.” TedxTalks, 8 November 2013,

https://www.youtube.com/. 1 February 2024.

“Because I Said I Would” was created by Alex Sheen after the loss of his dad. He promised his

dad that he would follow through and honor his commitments. Sheen’s commitment became an

international movement that has positively impacted the lives of others. This video will support

my essay as I describe my own commitment to assist others with all of the means that I have.