Category: Piece of the Week

by BG, Sacramento  I want to show some recognition to my big sister, G, aka MH. She is so special to me because she’s always been my backbone, pretty much my mother figure. Every time that I need something, she makes it happen. When my mom puts me out, I don’t even have to tell her twice, she’s already on the freeway sliding from San Jose to Sac to make sure I got somewhere to lay my head.  She twenty-five, from San Jo, real lady with game. I think she deserves the recognition because she is so strong. She dealt

by Adriana, San Mateo  “If you’re not practicing, somebody else is, somewhere, and he’ll be ready to take your job.” -Brooks Robinson  I like this quote. This is a quote I hope to hold onto and remember. I want it to motivate me in times when I’m being lazy. Definitely words from someone wise, it’s a dog eat dog world out there and there’s always someone ready to take your spot.  This quote is good for people in school because of the “practicing” idea they touch on. This quote definitely makes me think about my own schooling because, honestly, I’ve

by Nikk, Santa Clara Personally, I put most things behind me relatively easily, simply because I understand that I can’t change the past or what I have already done, only what I’m gonna do in the present and future. This doesn’t mean I don’t have regrets or wish I could go back, and occasionally these thoughts and feelings will resurface.  And it is human nature for this to occur and to self-blame. But at some point, after beating yourself up over something, you just have to realize that it’s not doing anything or changing anything other than affecting your mental

by Patricia, San Francisco  Family to me is one of the most valuable things in this world. It’s what money can’t buy that makes me the happiest. Something priceless and so cherished as what family is. It’s the love so deep no one else can give you. Blood is not what makes the family. It’s how far you’ll go for them, the loyalty and trust given to one another, your other halves, and many strong, unbreakable bonds.  I have a younger brother and sister and mom and dad. But I consider so many more people in my family. My sister,

by Ishmael, Santa Clara  What’s up, Beat Within? How y’all doing? I would be better but I’m on C-level, which means I can’t socialize or call my family. But how do I move on from stuff? How do I put stuff in the past? See, I don’t really get over stuff. Well, I do, but it takes me a while because I feel like if you do something to me once, how will I know you won’t do it again? You really have to prove to me that you won’t do it again, but I won’t forget it.     

by DaBaby, Marin Someone I look like is my dad and everything and I got my mom’s eyes and smile and I feel sorry to them because they told me every day to be good and change my life, but I never heard them. I was too busy on the street smoking meth with the homies rolling blunts and shhh like that.  I feel bad because they were always there for me, and I appreciate that they are still there when I need them. I never thought I was that person. It feels as if I was in a dream,

by D, Sacramento “We hate so fast and we love too slow.” – Pink  Honestly, I do agree with this week’s quote. It made me think differently because I thought it was normal to hate people. Hatred comes very naturally and easy to most people. Small, simple things can tick you off to hate someone and that hate can last as long as you live. Shoot, nowadays it’s common to hate people that you never even met. When you think about gangs, most the people who despise each other never even saw each other in person, only over social media.

by ChainsGee, Sonoma Well, I would like to start by taking responsibility for treating my wife wrongly during our whole relationship. I have been with her for three plus years and have two beautiful healthy babies. With her I feel like as a man it’s best for me to recognize how wrongly I have treated her. I hope that I won’t do it ever again. I am still with her, and I still love her unconditionally. But the things I have done were things such as being disrespectful, emotionally abusive, and mean. I am honestly thankful that my girl is

by Jose, Santa Clara The sound of owls late at night while we were outside in the village, is music to my ears. It’s soothing to me. It’s very relaxing, the late- night crickets with the owls and cars passing by in the distance on the freeway. I miss those days posting with the team. Most of us are locked up now and most of us are not coming home for a while. Out of my generation, about half of us are locked up. I think about those nights all the time. One more sound that is music to my

by JV, Sacramento Yes, I lie to myself to make me feel better and more confident about myself, and to also benefit myself. And people lie to me all the time, so I don’t really think lying to myself means too much. In certain situations, I am afraid about the truth, for example, to lie to myself afraid to get in trouble or get locked up to save my freedom. It is my fear. I am really not afraid of jail, I am afraid to not see my family, call whenever I want, hug on them, hang with them, and