See the first black male valedictorian at his High School headed to Harvard

Da’Vion Tatum, 18, of Houston, Texas, made history by becoming the first Black male valedictorian of Westfield High School.

And now that he is on his way to Harvard University, he is hoping to encourage other young Black males to never give up on their dreams.

Other young Black males can learn from my experience that you shouldn’t accept what society says about you just because it says it.

Being a Black man may come with a stigma or stereotype, but that doesn’t mean you have to conform to it, Tatum told Fox 26 News.

The 18-year old valedictorian has been awarded more than $700,000 in scholarships and accepted in several universities including Ivy League schools.

With all this success, Tatum wanted to share his story through his autobiography Thriving In My Own Lane.

He had been writing the book since he was in 8th grade intending to show how he continued to succeed despite what other people think.

He comments, “I noticed that people didn’t see me in that light because I was a young Black man. They didn’t see me in the light of the next doctor, lawyer, engineer.

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We are more than simply a stereotype, was the message I wanted to get across. More than just thugs, we are. More than just athletes, we are.

He made the decision to enroll at Harvard University in order to pursue a dual major in government and biomedical engineering.

He hopes to one day contribute to the advancement of social justice, engineering, and medicine.