For Generations Yet Unborn I grew up in Illinois, west of Chicago. I attended elementary school through high school in my hometown. I can't help but smile when I think back to my high school experiences. A Power Point slide presentation flashes through my mind with fond memories of football games, homecoming dances, and school plays, all set to the tune of my high school fight song played by the marching band. This mental presentation belongs not only to me, but also to many of my friends here at the U of I. I know that not everyone has had the same "Miss Suesy High School" experience that I have, but at 16 years old somehow I blocked the not-so-great experiences of high school from my mind and naively continued going to football games and dances. When I arrived at the University of Illinois, along with twenty other students from my high school, I hit save on my slideshow of high school memories and began my college career. It wasn't until March 1, 2004 that I opened my PowerPoint file of high school memories at the request of an amazing woman. Melba Beals, winner of the Congressional Gold Medal for her work as a civil rights activist, spoke at the University of Illinois in March about her experiences as one of the Little Rock Nine and her book Warriors Don't Cry. In Beals' book, she recalls unpleasant childhood memories of growing up in Arkansas during the segregated 1950s. Beals drank from black-only water fountains, ate at “colored” restaurants, rode on the back of the bus, and attended a segregated elementary school. Beals and eight other children "helped integrate an Arkansas public high school in 1957." Most of Warriors Don't Cry expresses...... middle of paper......ed "little pins" of segregation and in time all the pins will be removed and the pain will disappear. Melba said that my generation will live to see even more results than she will ever see. His advice to us was to continue our education and learn as much as we can. He said there are endless opportunities available with education, whether you are black or white. Melba is now in her fifties and is still continuing her education in international education studies. Melba recently adopted two young children and learns from and with them every day of her life. He told us to never lose our passion for learning. Education for her keeps her “young and alive”. If I can reach Melba's age and have the vision of life that she currently has, I will feel lucky. Melba's presentation may be very different from mine, but without hers mine wouldn't be as brilliant.