Like Langston Hughes’ poem, “Mother to Son”, MD Alif believes that he has been destined to walk a crystal path. A crystal path looks stable, but with one wrong move, it can shatter. He thought he would have a stable, structured life, but instead encountered obstacles that were out of his control. This did not stop him from achieving his goals.

In Bangladesh, his life instantly changed when his father died, leading to significant emotional and financial challenges. Later at 16, he joined his mother in Queens. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with a spinal injury, and unable to work. MD Alif and his mother collaborated to start a business selling Bengali food to Bengali stores.

His school counselor says that the success of running a small business brought him a sense of meaning and achievement. He juggled all his responsibilities and managed to keep his grades at a high level, graduating in the top 10 percent of his class. MD Alif celebrates student diversity and says that his teachers were the family that helped him mentally and academically. MD Alif earned the Principal Scholars Award as well as Student of the Month two years in a row. He remained committed to contributing to his community, volunteering at food banks, Elmhurst Hospital, and the Parks Department, all while participating in multiple school clubs.