Dhaka, – Ziad Ahmed, an American teen of Bangladeshi origin, created history after writing #BlackLivesMatter a hundred times on his Stanford University application recently, prompting a successful admission.
He received the acceptance letter on Friday and tweeted a photo that has been going viral since.
The answer was based on the question “What matters to you, and why?”
“It was important to me that the admissions officers literally hear my impatience for justice and the significance of this issue,” Ahmed told NBC News. “The hashtag conveys my frustration with the failure of judicial system to protect the black community from violence, systemic inequity, and political disenfranchisement.”
A distinguished social activist, the 18 year old interned for 2016 presidential candidate Martin O’Malley, volunteered with the Hilary Clinton campaign and attended and was recognized by Barack Obama at a 2015 White House dinner.
As a Muslim-American, Ahmed described himself as “an unapologetic progressive activist” and ally to the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Islamophobia has certainly been a priority of mine in my advocacy, but it is connected to the legacy of racism and oppression that the black community continues to face,” he said.
Ahmed said he received an outpouring of support after posting a photo of his application, which has garnered more than 3,000 retweets, but he has also been receiving personal attacks. Some have targeted his Muslim faith.
Politicians and activists, including O’Malley and Women’s March organiser Linda Sarsour, took to Twitter to congratulate Ahmed on his acceptance to the California school.
Stanford University confirmed Ahmed’s acceptance to NBC News but declined to further discuss the student’s application.– NBC News/UNB
