"Our family was homeless, once during my junior year and then again during my senior year. The first time, my mom got sick and ended up missing a lot of work because of her doctor's appointments, so we didn’t have money to pay the bills. We got evicted, our cars were repossessed, and we moved first into a hotel, then into a shelter. Even though I was glad that we had somewhere to lay our heads, it was rough at the shelter. I was working, trying to keep my grades up, trying to take care of my mom, watching out for my younger brother and sister, and trying not to let anybody know what was happening. I just closed up. I was afraid that if somebody on the outside knew about it, they would take us from our mom. But eventually I had to tell because sometimes I couldn’t get to school on time or at all and my grades were dropping. Once the teachers knew, they understood and helped every way they could. After a few weeks, my mom got better and started working again. That was good, but we were still in the shelter, which meant we were out really late every night waiting somewhere---usually McDonalds---for her to get off work. She had to be with us or the shelter wouldn't let us in. By the end of December that year, we were able to get our own place, things got better, and I got my grades back on track.
But then the next year, we got slightly behind on our rent---not much at all---and were evicted again. We went back to the shelter for another month. Both my mom and I were working late every night, but now we had a car, so my younger brother and sister just waited out in the parking lot in the car until I got off, then we picked up my mom from her job. By the time we'd get to the shelter after work, it would be 2 a.m. and we had to be out by 8 a.m., so we were up and going by 6 or 7 every morning. It was hard to focus in school because I was so tired. Sometimes I was absent because I just had to catch up on sleep. I didn’t want to let my school know we were homeless again, but eventually I told them. And again, the teachers were great. They paid for all of my senior things, my senior dues, and I made it through. There was a point where I looked around and knew I wasn’t the only one who needed help, so I started a club called B.A.S.I.C. (Brothers and Sisters Improvement Club) to help other students with their academics, self-esteem, leadership development, college and corporate world readiness, and community service. Leading that group helped keep me going. I couldn’t give up because I felt that now other people were depending on me.
Our family is back in our own place now and things are more stable. The Little Helpers organization is going to supply what my little brother and sister need for the coming school year, and things are good. I just graduated with a 3.6 GPA, and I’m headed to college in a couple of weeks. I was accepted to 36 schools, but I chose Morehouse in Atlanta. Some of my mentors took me to see the school, and I knew that’s where I wanted to be. I’m going to major in Business Administration and minor in Political Science, and I plan to come back to Memphis and give back to the community here. Maybe open a shelter for teens who are going through difficult situations, help them get involved in music and sports, and help them find mentors who will guide them in planning for their future. I think the experience of being homeless helped make me stronger and more willing to help other people and not judge them. We never know what someone else is going through."
UPDATE: Dacavien graduated from Morehouse College in 2020 and is now an Asset and Wealth Management Analyst at JP Morgan Chase & Co.
UPDATE: (2024) Dacavien has been accepted into two Masters programs! "Hey everyone!
I am thrilled to share that I have been accepted into both Johns Hopkins University and Columbia University for my master's degree in Nonprofit Management. Over the past year, I faced the challenge of balancing societal expectations with my own aspirations, and I am proud to say I have made a choice that truly resonates with my passion. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this journey. I eagerly anticipate the exciting opportunities and experiences that this new chapter will bring!" [This quote came from his Facebook post of June 24, 2024 and was accompanied by photos of the two acceptance letters. So so very proud of this young man!]
Video below produced by Shelby County Schools:
Dacavien Reeves
- Program honors youths who triumphed, Commercial Appeal article, 5/21/15
- Dacavien Reeves - Overton High School, Commercial Appeal article, 3/27/16
- Graduation rates among African-Americans rise in Memphis; education gap with white residents closes, Commercial Appeal, 7/19/16
- Dacavien's graduation from Morehouse (December 13, 2020): https://inside.morehouse.edu/news/news-inside/secret-benefactor-paid-for-decavien-reevesto-become-a-successful-morehouse-man.html
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