Welcome everyone to the first issue of the year 2026. We are kicking it off with some inspirational and highly motivational writing as we continue to publish our magazine every other week. We are continuing David Inocencio’s vision of giving everyone a platform and voice to share their stories in a safe community. This week we have a very thoughtful piece of writing being shared by one of our very valuable interns from Urban High School of San Francisco. The current group has wrapped up their internship with us and have a few words to share about their experiences with our Program.
I was inspired to work with The Beat after taking Voices of Incarceration. So, I believe I came in with a better understanding of the justice system and what incarceration looks like. However, The Beat took that to a whole new level, because of how much more interaction I had with incarcerated people. I believe that because I couldn’t really communicate with the people I was transcribing for, so that, to some extent, I could understand some parts of what they were saying. After working with The Beat, I feel a more tangible and real connection or understanding of the justice system.
There were a few pieces that moved me; specifically, last week, I transcribed a piece about how someone’s kid was their first thought when they woke up and last thought when they went to sleep. The author, LJ, beautifully described how they loved their child, and it made me choke up, because I could feel the emotion through the page. It’s amazing how that’s possible.
Additionally, recently, there was a prompt about love, and it was powerful to read stories about lost love, unconditional and conditional love, and whether people felt that they deserved love. I read about whether love was inherent or earned, who has to earn love and who receives it unconditionally. All of these messages made me consider the relationships I have with my family and have driven me to realize how critical they are.
I don’t think the word critical does this justice, because that word sounds transactional, but it also illustrates how necessary and pertinent they are. I learned a lot about incarceration through The Beat. The thing that has stuck with me the most, is that people can genuinely make one wrong decision, and even when they do, it shouldn’t define them.
I’ve reflected about what it would be like to be defined by the mistakes I make, and it made me realize just how impactful my actions can be. We all make mistakes, and I think that if we were labeled by those choices, we would all be considered bad people and that doesn’t make sense.
Then why are some people defined by their bad decisions, while others get theirs swept under the rug, or at least minimized? I know there are different levels of consequences for the decisions one makes, but I still think the previous point holds true in many situations.
I recognized certain parts of myself in the writing like looking to find community in places outside of home, as well as grappling with what love means.
Not all parts of transcribing for The Beat were easy. I struggled with a few aspects of it. Sometimes, I just didn’t agree with what people were saying, which was frustrating.
One example of this is that someone was explaining how they didn’t believe in evolution or science because that isn’t what their church taught. I wrote it as it was, because that is my job, but it wasn’t easy to read in the same way as other stories.
People also wrote about using a lot, which was different for me as someone who has very strong opinions about the topic. I don’t have an issue with the people who wrote about using. In fact, I commend them for being honest about their decisions, because I wouldn’t be willing to write about things like that. But, that doesn’t mean I’m in agreement with their choices.
As I was transcribing week-to-week, there was a common theme that came up in my post-service reflections: privilege. I have thought a lot about privilege while working for The Beat, because there is a unique dynamic between the writers and the transcribers. I think we, as people on the outside, have the power to tell the stories of these teens, and we should use that power to do good.
Internally, I struggled with the dynamic of trying to make a piece more readable but also wanting to maintain the voice and style of the author. Sometimes, it was a difficult balance to strike, especially when the writing wasn’t legible and I had to infer some of the words. I really wanted to tell their story the way it was without altering it yet make it accessible to a greater audience.
Overall, I had a very positive experience with The Beat. It’s amazing and transformative to read people’s stories. I believe that they represent an underrepresented community, which is part of why this is so important to me.
-KG
Thank You KG! We appreciate your courage to step up and share your feelings about what The Beat Within internship meant to you. We would just like to add Happy New Year’s to all of our contributors, readers and sponsors.
It’s 2026! It’ a new year and another opportunity for us all to do better and be better. Many of you probably think that the New Year won’t change much and feel like it’s another day. But if indeed it’s just another day, well then it’s another day you should be thankful for because you get to breathe, eat food, tell your folks you love them, and another opportunity for you to get it right!
The New Year might not change anything in your current situation, and that’s because it’s up to you to make those changes so you could see the fruits of your labor. Think positive and think big. Remember, it’s not about where you’re at. It’s about where you’re going. And while you’re trying to get to where you want to go and accomplish all of your goals, always appreciate the journey. Appreciate every struggle, every challenge, and every loss, because it’s just going to make that win taste that much juicier!
Don’t let anything get the way of your success and use your obstacles as fuel and motivation to help you keep pushing forward. Don’t lose hope. We will continue to provide this platform so you can project your voice and be the author of your own story.
And The Beat keeps going and going…long live David Inocencio.