Dear Dr. Boone,

My name is Michael Ortega and I'm an alumnus of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute of the 2003 class.  I'm not sure if you remember me, but I wanted to take a moment to thank you and everyone that makes the Du Bois Scholars Institute possible.  I can say with confidence that I would not be the man I am today were it not for my time of intensive study in the program. I was struck by curiosity today to check up on how the Institute was doing and there was a sentence on the web page that inspired me to write this letter: "The Institute provides training designed to develop such cadres of brilliant minds from these groups who will possess a commitment to eliminating poverty and racism, and will inspire the masses to overcome conditions that impede their prosperity and pursuit of happiness."

You may not have heard much about me or my activities since I have not been in very close contact, but ever since my time in the program I have committed myself toward this pursuit.  In my last years of high school I was a central founder of a student organization that organized a series of demonstrations, campaigns, and events to promote education reform in Newark.  My time and energies began to be devoted to organizing on a grassroots level against slum-like conditions in schools and then my horizons widened into organizing in the community.  I became a very radical activist, campaigning and educating for social change from the ranks of working people.  After high school I decided to not go to college and instead went on to work in factories and warehouses that subjected the workers to wretched conditions.  My higher education was in these sweatshops.  

In the organization to which I pertained, I took on heavy leadership responsibilities as I began living on my own and supporting myself financially. At 19, I ran for New Jersey State Assembly in District 28 on a 3rd party ticket.  My candidacy was based on the concrete work I was doing as an educator of my fellow co-workers in politics, civil rights, and English (since most were native Spanish speakers.)  A highlight of my work was helping to shut down a garment factory on May Day 2006 in support of immigrant workers rights.  I helped organize contingents of students and youth to travel to Venezuela as part of an international political festival, to see the reality of that country's controversial social programs.  Several other times I've traveled to Latin America to carry out reporting and investigative work.  All my efforts were to put myself in the line of fire with the Wretched of the Earth.  It has been a long and hard road to live, but one of the most rewarding as well.

Currently I am in Los Angeles, attending L.A. City College.  I moved here as an assignment to open a grassroots political school for youth in the South West.  The project came to a close a short while after I moved here.  Since then I have taken a pause from my political life to return to my studies.  I am currently pursuing a degree in Aerospace and Computer Science Engineering.  My goals are to become an outstanding scientist in the field of physics and computer science while continuing work championing human rights and educational advancement for underprivelidged youth.  
Everything I have accomplished and the success that I will have as a student are contributable to my preparation in the W.E.B Du Bois Scholars Inst.  The lessons I learned in composition, communication, debate, critical thinking, discipline and hard work have been indispensible to my development and growth as a human being.  I hope that others are still being inspired, as I was, by your outstanding faculty and staff.  I wish you the best and would like to contribute in any form possible to help the program continue to be a success.

Best Wishes,
Michael Ortega