Mathew Thomas-Quick

Mathew Thomas-Quick doesn’t want to have a negative stereotype as a black athlete or as a nerd.

I’m a good athlete, but it doesn’t exactly make me a dumb jock. I take honors classes at school and have a 3.7 GPA. But there are times that my friends at school will joke around with me and call me a nerd because my grades always look better than theirs. Some seem to have a problem with a young, black male being well-rounded. I’m considered one of the best players on my football team and I’m also a good track athlete.

As a person, I feel that I possess qualities not defined not by my extracurricular activities and my educational status. But the fact that the first thing people think about me is that I am another black male who has his mind and life goals set around making to the NFL or being on the corner is just wrong. I turn my back on those people and refuse to be another statistic.

I have fun without making trouble. I’m very social at school but have a clean discipline record. I wear Polo, American Eagle, etcetera, but you’ll never know what color boxers I am wearing. I am not a perfect student, but I give my best effort in the classroom and I have never seen anything below a C on my report card.

Don’t stereotype me because I have already shown that I can break the chain and be an all-around athlete and person. I’m just me.