by JV, Sacramento The man that inspires me the most, to be honest, is one that struggled, preserved, and overcame. This man was publicly shamed, shut down, and rejected by society. But this man never gave up. He went on to be remembered as one of the greatest composers in history, his name was Sergei Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff was born into a family of musicians. It soon became clear that he was especially talented. At a very young age, he was sent to a prestigious Russian music school known as a conservatory. He was to be taught by the best pianists
Continue ReadingNo Childhood
by Lil Los, James Ranch, Santa Clara From the moment I Ianded on earth I can’t remember anything from before I was a four year old, but I can tell you everything after that age. I was in the mix of so much stuff. I feel like I was never able to be a child. As a young child, I was four, I seen my own mother physically attacked by my father. I was confused and scared. I didn’t know what to do or how to help. At five years old the cops kicked in the door and took my
Continue ReadingMy Observations, Back in San Quentin
by Brotha Dee, San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, CA I pray that all is well with you all and the whole Beat team!? As for me, I’ve been great since I’ve returned to San Quentin. It kind of hurt my heart a bit to find that quite a few didn’t notice my absence. I was gone for a total of five weeks; three weeks in the psychiatric crisis unit at CMF (California Medical Facility) in Vacaville, and two weeks in AC before returning to San Quentin without the Covid vaccine. As I sang about my Lord and Savior,
Continue ReadingLong As I live
by Efren Bullard I will continue to search me and try to understand me. I sit here thinking about life all the time wondering, “Who am I?” I’m the guy who likes to sit on the beach looking at the ocean crash into itself while the moon sits over the water allowing you to see how beautiful it really is. I’m the guy who thinks about taking a trip up to Big Bear in the winter just to look at the animals play in the snow. I’d like to watch the eagles fly as well as sit at the top
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Volume 27.03/04
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 27.03/04
Greetings friends! We are thrilled to bring you our latest issue, 27.03/04! This latest magazine is packed with plenty of heat, so prepare yourself for shared wisdom, knowledge, and insight from our many writers, young and old. We learn so much from you writers, from the new contributors to the OGs who step up and come from the heart. There is something for all of you who are holding this one-of-a-kind magazine. We want to encourage you, writers, to dive a bit deeper with the magazine and not only read your work and your friends, but also check out other counties,
Continue ReadingThe Way Life Is
by CC, Sacramento Dear young reader – Life comes with no guarantees. Mistakes can become accomplishments. And accomplishments can become mistakes. Your life is what you make of it and so much more. Learn from others’ mistakes…learn from your own. There is no secret. Millions of people living in poverty. It is no secret that we all lose people close to us. There are no secrets about life. Understand that life is a gift, how you interpret the gift is all up to you. No matter your circumstance, always make sure you have a fighting chance at life. People may
Continue ReadingMissing My Baby’s Special Day
by CT, Sacramento I swear this is the hardest part and time of my life. I never thought I would be here on December 7th, 2021. This day is far more important than any day of the year. Three hundred sixty-five days and this one day I was supposed to do something special. This is my daughter’s first birthday! No one can understand the pain that I have today. I’m supposed to be there and I’m not. I was supposed to be there to help blow out her candles and give her kisses all over her beautiful face. I miss
Continue ReadingMy Life, Continues
JJEM, San Mateo Previously on “My Life”, after Steven had a seizure, he was unconscious then three minutes later he woke up out of the blue, but he wasn’t himself at all. When I sat him on the bench, he was just mumbling to himself and he was whispering whenever he talked to us. He also started vomiting and Georgie brought water for him because I asked him to so he could drink. Then I asked Georgie to look for the ice cream man so he could buy us something to eat. But when he came back, he said he
Continue ReadingNature’s Best Medicine: Nature
by Leo Cardez, Dixon Correctional Center in Dixon, Illinois In prison, most of us spend our days bathed in fluorescent lighting starring at four walls. If we’re lucky maybe we have a TV or the occasional gym or yard recreational time. Most prisons are iron and concrete edifices; cold, austere human warehouses. Our separation from society is court mandated and unquantifiable painful, but our separation from the natural world is quantifiably damaging to our health and psyche. We came to prison as punishment, not for punishment. Our connection to nature is far more important to our cognition and other aspects
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