I was raised by my grandmother for most of my life. She was strict in my younger years. During that time she taught me values I would need for the rest of my life. As I got older she allowed me to teach myself many lessons. This helped me with being able to control myself without an authority figure around. Now that I am older I am living with my mother and even though my mother has looser rules, I still maintain a level of excellence. This is my black history and is where I came from. This is the beginning of my future and I cherish it.