Challenging The Norm Analysis

Challenging the norm is not a new idea. Whether it be teenage angst or refusing to conform to 'unfair' rules, I have always been one for living outside the box as opposed to just just thinking outside of it. As an African-American male, I've grown up as someone who expects things from the people around me. Some are positive, like my family, and some are negative, like strangers. To rise above the misconceptions of black people and to defy stereotypes is a driving force acting upon my will to succeed, and I strive to exemplify how great a black man can be.
I was born in Detroit, where I was raised for a good portion of my early life; however, going to school there, I never really saw much diversity. I had a white friend, but the majority of