When Ziad Ahmed was asked on his Stanford University application “What matters to you, and why?”, his answer was clear.
He wrote: “#BlackLivesMatter,” repeating the hashtag exactly 100 times to highlight the excessive use of police force which disproportionately kills black men and women.
The practicing Muslim senior high school student in New Jersey has since been accepted to the prestigious University. “Everyone who received your application was inspired by your passion, determination, accomplishments, and heart,” the acceptance letter read.
It added: “You are, quite simply, a fantastic match with Stanford. You will bring something original and extraordinary to our campus – a place where you can learn, grow, and thrive.”
Mr Ahmed told MIC that he was “stunned” to be accepted. “I didn't think I would get admitted to Stanford at all, but it's quite refreshing to see that they view my unapologetic activism as an asset rather than a liability,” he said.
I submitted this answer in my @Stanford application, & yesterday, I was admitted...#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/R5YxM77bWL — Ziad Ahmed (@ziadtheactivist) April 1, 2017
The student posted a screen shot of his application and the acceptance letter on Twitter over the weekend. The post has since been shared and liked thousands of times, including by police reform group Campaign Zero and its founders.