contents - Gallatin School of Individualized Study - New York ...

asia reapeThe Rose ThatGrew from Concreteasia reape Telling Tales64It was planted in the rubbleAnd left there to die.It fed off the mistreatmentAnd the lack of interest it endured.The loss of love gave it the strength to growAnd the sunlight made it a beautiful color.And the rain, the rain gave it integrityAnd that is the reason that it isThe rose that grew from concrete.Born and raised in New York, Asia Reape studies at the New York Departmentof Education’s Mid-Manhattan Adult Learning Center. Her teacher is CorinneO’Shaughnessy, and the instructional facilitator is Diana Raissis. Asia Reapeidentifies herself as “a 27-year-old single mom who does not let my strugglesstop me from rising to the top and achieving all my goals.”