Rokya Samake is on a journey as a filmmaker, currently working on a documentary about her father and his immigration to the U.S. Rokya graduated from StreetSquash in 2011, after starting at the organization as a student in the 7th grade.
She learned about StreetSquash from her mother who attended a parents night at Thurgood Marshall Academy where they were talking about options for extracurricular activities. At first she was hesitant about the program. Lots of students who were participating at the time were in the summer program and were friendly with one another. Rokya was on the outside looking in. But as soon as she became friendlier with those in the program, particularly when starting the 8th grade, she never looked back.
Her fondest memories include the time spent with her peers and all the traveling she did to compete at tournaments.
“The tournaments in particular were a really fun time,” Rokya said. “It was an opportunity to get out of the city and we got to meet other kids like ourselves playing this sport no one has ever heard of and enjoying it.”
She says she still stays in touch with many of the players she met both at StreetSquash and while traveling.
After graduating high school, Rokya double majored in Politics and African American studies at Bates College in Maine. Following undergrad, she came back to StreetSquash to work as an Academic Coach before going off to The New School in New York to get her Masters in Media Studies. In her years immediately following StreetSquash, she says the CASAS program (College Access, Success, and Alumni Support) was extremely beneficial to her.
“The alumni programming and in-school support really grew during my college years,” Rokya said. “Between having someone come and visit me at school, to the career development and networking I participated in during breaks, I felt like I was being given every opportunity to succeed.”
Rokya believes her life trajectory would have been similar even without StreetSquash, but she says the organization helped her more smoothly transition into each phase of her life.
“With the support I got at StreetSquash along with the various opportunities I got to participate in, I showed up at college feeling confident and grounded in who I was and what I could offer to whatever spaces I entered,” Rokya said. “It also broadened my perspective and goals in ways that continue to influence me to this day.”
Rokya recommends students considering giving StreetSquash a try, to make the leap and do it.
“StreetSquash can provide students with the experiences, tools and resources to make the most out of their middle/high school experiences,” Rokya said. “It will also prepare them for the life they hope to lead. The program has played such an integral part of my life and it’s not just because I was at practice most of the week. It’s because of all the various opportunities I was afforded and the vital relationships I was able to build, many of which still play an important part of my life today.”
