Hi Everyone, 

I am AR Rafiul Islam and I’m from Bangladesh which is located in the South East Asia. I was a Foreign Exchange Student in Kenwood during the year 2016/17.

High School in the United States is very different than it is in my country. In the beginning of the school year, I struggled a lot to make friends. I was constantly reaching out to people but most of them seemed to be staying in a cluster.

One day, I heard about a Brotherhood meetup in the cafeteria during my homeroom. As I reached there, I was instantly welcomed and was put in a group for an activity. It all started after that.

Finally, I was a part of something. Now I had someone to fist bump with in the hallways. I now had friends and the interns (Mr. Scotton and Mr. Woodard) to share out to whenever I needed. From playing against the African American Firefighters and Paramedics of Chicago basketball Team, to performing magic tricks during the 14th Annual Awards Ceremony, my year ended completely opposite to how it started.

I am forever grateful to Brotherhood for giving me this opportunity to be a part of the Program. I have learned so much, which helps me everyday to improve myself.

Lastly, Doc. you are one of the most humble human beings I have ever met. I really feel blessed to cross path with you in my life.