Rawle Alkins sat in McKale Center in January for an interview. As he spoke, his cousin was waiting in the car outside.
Alkins had been living in Tucson for half a year, but didn’t have any way of getting around. It took him a few more weeks to take — and pass — his driver’s test.
Now that Alkins can get around, he has learned just how well he fits in Tucson. He’s low-key and level-headed, which is somewhat surprising, given his hometown.
“Me being from New York, that’s six hours away by plane,” Alkins said. “It’s a whole different life. We used to take trains and buses, and there are so many people around.”
New circumstances — and surroundings — don’t seem to phase the UA freshman.
This is his origin story.
