Category: Piece of the Week

by MW Waking up in a cold sweat. It’s a little past seven in the morning.  I’m getting ready for school. Mom’s cooking woke me up out of that bad dream. I wonder what life would be like if these were different?  “Your bus is going to be outside, get there!”  As I ate the last of my bacon, I forgot my dang coat. It was raining.  “What are you doing?”  I snatched my jacket as I ran from her voice. Thinking to myself, I can never get a break.  I been so annoyed that I didn’t even talk to

by AF Well, I know this isn’t to my dad, so I want to talk about him. I was named after him, and he was named after his dad, which makes me the third and him the junior. My dad showed me a pic when I was born. I was surrounded by hundred dollar bills and I never asked him where he got all that money.  But as I grew up, I connected the pieces. My dad was in the streets, and I’m not talking about homeless. It’s exactly as it sounds. The streets. Man, when I was younger, I

by TL “Let’s not excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it. If we want our criminal justice system, and American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to model that code ourselves.” – Barack Obama I agree with Obama’s quote. Participating in violence will only make a situation worse. All the protests that have been going on violently doesn’t make anything better. Not for the community, not for us, especially not for the children.  If we want everyone to cooperate, police and civilians, black people, white people, white children, black children. This

by T How do I respond to compliments given to me? Hmm, I mean, I am not really fond of compliments nowadays because somewhere deep down inside me, I have a feeling that these compliments aren’t true.  When people tell me that I’m doing good or whatever, I don’t pay it no mind.  I just say, “thanks,” and go about my day.  Because how else am I supposed to take a compliment?   By repaying that same person with a compliment too? Nowadays, that’s something that is hard to do. Because people are deceiving. One minute they say that they

by R I miss you Lala. Lala is my older sister, we are six years apart. She is my only sibling that has the same mom and dad, so we are really close. He first tattoo was my name and my first tattoo was her name.  The last time I seen my sister was in January before I went on the run. We weren’t really on good terms because she thought I stole something from her, but we are better now. Me and my sister don’t fight a lot, but we have gotten into a few big fights before. We

by TL The one thing I fear the most right now while I’m in jail is the Coronavirus messing up court.  I heard that the Governor might shut down all prisons and youth detention facilities in California.    So, I don’t know what that means for kids who haven’t been sentenced yet, like someone such as myself.  I don’t know if I will be able to get out before that happens, or if I will be stuck here until it opens back up.    My entire life, I have been in control of what I can do or what times I can

by Jacob In my cell I’m praying to God that I want to changeTurn around I hear a voice it’s my brother baby JHe tellin’ me stop messing up before it’s too lateHis hand is reaching towards me saying it’ll be okThen I turn around and cry can’t look him in the faceAll I say maybe it’d be different if you was here todayMaybe mom and dad would be together and it wouldn’t be this wayTurn around I tell him to stay don’t leave me in this cageYelling that I’m losin all hope he said you can’t lose faithThen he

by CP, There are many things in life that are going to be challenging, like losing a family member or breaking a bone.  Or maybe you did something wrong and ended up in jail.  Or traumatizing, painful, indescribable things have happened to you.  It feels dark, like you slowly start losing yourself.  You question yourself like, “why has this happened to me?”  or “are things going to keep getting worse?”    Then, you want to give up, but then there is something inside of you that makes you keep going.  Maybe it’s the fact you weren’t physically broken.  I feel

by G I grew up with what I consider a very dysfunctional family.  We’re all crazy and have a hard time getting along with each other.  Although, when we do, we’re a delightful group and can joke all day long.   Despite our abilities to get along, everyone in my family is very strong and no matter what we go through, we keep our heads high.  My mother has raised all four of us on her own.   She is the strongest person I know, and her ability to solve any problem amazes me.  She has been through many obstacles

by L My mom was never in the picture.  I seen her three times.  First, when I was born.  Second, when my grandpa died, and third, when my sister graduated high school.  She ain’t my mom, though!   My mom aka my aunt said, “A mom is not a woman gave birth to you, it’s the woman who raised you.”  That’s always going to stay with me.  I love her.   It’s going to be hard to spend Mother’s Day here and not with her.  I missed her birthday because I was locked up.  Remember the first time, I got