Grew Quote by Mitch Leigh
“I grew up in Brownsville; most of the kids I grew up with went to jail, not Yale. If they had heard of Yale, they thought it was a lock to pick.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Personal anecdote, 2010
Growing up in a disadvantaged area, the speaker notes how limited aspirations and misinformation about elite institutions affect youth.
In simple terms: Youth in tough neighborhoods often lack knowledge of higher education.
Key Takeaway
Expand educational outreach.
Themes
education
inequality
aspirations
Mood
reflective
concerned
hopeful
Type
educational
social
motivational
When to use this quote
- school programs
- mentor initiatives
- public awareness campaigns
Key Concepts
social mobility
information gap
community
Questions to Reflect On
- What resources could change these perceptions?
- How can communities reshape narratives about success?
A Different Perspective
Assumes all youth have equal access to resources.
![“That's why I tried to kill myself when I was a student [in Yale]. I thought I was the only one there.” quote by Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8b9/kevin-sessums-9486_school_that-s-why-i-tried-to-kill-myself-when-i_2344917.jpg)
![“Before I was born [my father] wanted me to go specifically to Yale, which he thought would help. It was easy for him to think I could be president: he didn't have to worry about being president himself, being ineligible because he wasn't born in the United States.” quote by Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ab2/calvin-trillin-4656_born_before-i-was-born-my-father-wanted-me-to_714144.jpg)
