The Beat Within wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Thank you for your love and support while we continue to grieve the lossof our beloved founder, David Inocencio. We think perhaps San Quentin News summed it up the best… “Founder of The Beat Within touched countless lives, leaving behind a powerful legacy of service and compassion with his ever present smile and the power of encouragement, legendary advocate for incarcerated youth, David Inocencio died in July after losing a courageous battle with cancer. His service to those impacted by the juvenile and criminal justice systems will live on
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David Inocencio Memorial Fund
The David Inocencio Memorial Fund honors our trailblazing founder, David Inocencio. For nearly three decades, David was a light in the dark world of detention facilities across the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. This fund will support workshops, magazine publication, and general operations of The Beat Within. With your support, The Beat goes on. LINK
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Editor’s Note
In July, The Beat Within announced with great sadness the passing of its founder and executive director, David Inocencio. Over the past six weeks, our Beat Within team has worked tirelessly to publish a special tribute issue of The Beat Within Magazine. In this issue, youth, David’s colleagues, former and current TBW participants, and community leaders shared their reflections on the impact of The Beat Within, David Inocencio, and the topic of grief. The issue was empowering and almost therapeutic, rallying our team to stand up and ensure that the beat goes on, as David always said. With passing the
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The Beat Within Tribute Issue
Our latest magazine is here! Inside you can find all the incredible and powerful tributes to David. Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
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Volume 30.17/18
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 30.17/18
Greetings to our readers, writers, and broader community of The Beat Within! We’re bringing you another groundbreaking edition of writing by and for incarcerated youth, and we can’t emphasize enough how grateful we are to have you with us. It’s no easy task to put this publication to print every other week, but with the support of our incredible community, we’ve been able to make it happen for three consecutive decades. We’re bringing Michael Kroll to the pages of our editorial section, who some of you know as “Einstein” and many more of you know as a dedicated workshop facilitator
Continue ReadingWhat My Daughter and I Deserve
-DB, Albuquerque This year has started off good, then changed very quickly. The person I came into the new year with me is no longer in my life. Sadly, life goes on. Maybe things just weren’t meant to be. I am walking to new beginnings though! This boy that I am talking to now is very different. Everyone I have told about him has approved. That’s a big difference! We have been getting to know each other a lot! We talked on the phone, and we came to a lot of agreements to where we understand that if we don’t
Continue ReadingWords and Echoes
-Marcus, Santa Cruz In the midst of writing his story, his pencil snapped. Growing in frustration, this particular storyteller, sharpened the halves and began to write again. However, this action of a breaking pencil redirected his train of thought. Here is the story he wrote (from the pencil’s view): I feel my wisdom may travel to a receptive writer, one who is in touch with the world. For I was once a majestic thing, towering above the other trees to become a splintered thing, fractured, yet my wisdom remains whole. This lead — which has replaced my leaves — may
Continue ReadingChameleon
-JRS, Sonoma Look, we all got bad habits. Whether it be drugs, alcohol, fighting, talking back, gang life shhh, the list goes on. My bad habit is being a chameleon, trying to fit in no matter what crowd. But I’ve fit in more with people when I’m just being myself. I’m goofy, serious, nerdy, a little crazy, and got one hell of a mouth on me, but I got friends and family that love and cherish me for me. My friends and family are my support system, and I’ve been breaking my habit for three years now but still catch
Continue ReadingI’m the Master of My Flow
-Donald, San Quentin State Prison, CA As I was growing up, I was someone who, for the most part, went with the flow because it was easier. I knew what to expect and it was less painful, and less disappointing. When I did make plans and they fell through for whatever reason, I would take it personal and see it as a reflection of how others saw me. I was a failure. That ultimately became my truth about myself which caused me to miss out on so many opportunities to prove others and myself wrong. It was easier to just
Continue ReadingOur Duty and Right
-André, California Medical Facility (CMF) in Vacaville, CA “Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter.” Chinua Achebe I love this metaphor! It strikes a chord on so many levels. Thinking about the current climate we’re in and this banning of books era we’re experiencing, there is an effort by our government to silence certain voices. The idea is to paint a “prettier” picture of the country and sweep the pain, loss, and struggle of some under the rug. Another quote fits perfectly with this: “history is written by the victor.” It is our duty
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Volume 30.15/16
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 30.15/16
Hello and welcome to our Beat community near and far! With longer days ahead and the fields in bloom, we’re so glad to have you with us today and always. For this issue’s editorial note, we’re bringing our good friend and colleague OT to our pages as he reflects on his personal experience with one of our recent prompts, “Things I Hate to Hear.” No matter who or where we are, no matter our age or maturity level, there’s certain phrases coming from certain people that really gets our blood boiling. Welcome, Omar, to the editorial pages! We welcome you
Continue ReadingWe Need the Whole Story
-Julia, Marin “Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter.” Chinua Achebe This quote to me seems to say that until both stories or sides are told, only the one told will be telling the events. One person will always prevail; they will tell it in the sense that all glory goes to them. To me, the hunter in other terms is the good person and the lion is the typical bad person. But that’s a black and white version. To me, looking deeper into the quote would be the gray portion. When we don’t
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