Category: Piece of the Week

by Aimee I live in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. There are a lot of homeless people in my neighborhood which makes my neighborhood different from other neighborhoods. My neighborhood is very diverse with Mexicans, Blacks and Filipinos.  I miss all my “uncles” (family friends) that hang around my block barbequing. If I grew up in a different neighborhood I wouldn’t be who I am today, which is a strong girl with a strong personality.  In my neighborhood I connect mostly with Turk and Jones which is the intersection of where I live. My neighbors are cool, and I know

by King J God if you’re good, why did you put him in a grave? God if you could would his life have been saved? See, I’m mad at God but really I’m mad at myself. I never got to say goodbye or thank you for the help. See you picked me off the streets, told me how you really felt. As a young boy, you took me under your wing, And showed me how the game’s cards are going to be dealt. I hope you’re listening because I appreciate every little thing that you did for me. You’re the

by Hayden It’s evening now, and other people are having visits with their families. To be honest, I’m really jealous. My family never comes to see me. They live so far away, in Seattle where I grew up. They felt compelled to get rid of me. It’s a pain I have been holding within for my entire life. They preach justice and practice lies and abandonment. I think it’s messed up for the staff to hold visiting hours inside the unit where I have to watch. There is a separate visiting room, so why don’t they use it? The answer is

by Kyle You stand in front of me, Pretending to be solid, But you are nothing More than smoke and mirrors You said you would never leave That you would care for us forever But now you claim you cannot stay That you’ve been called away When you go, who will I turn to? When it all crashes down? Tell me who Then tell me how I can’t believe in anyone again If all your promises have been lies.

by Rayband Seventy-six days left! I’ve been here for fourteen months and twelve days. I’ve been counting down and planning a lot of stuff. I’m already knowing that nothing is the same out there. It’s the changes I’m going to have to get used to. I’m not worried about that because I’m ready to take the world head on. Being in here this long has made me ready to do anything. I’m not frail or afraid of anything. Being inside a cell for four hundred sixty-nine days straight will prepare you for lots of stuff.  I’m the oldest person in

by Macon June always reminds me of my father, not because it’s Father’s Day but it is also his birthday. My dad is one of the best dads I could ever wish for. When I was playing football, my dad would always take me to the park to work on my skills. He would also come to all my football practices and games.  Even though my dad is always in and out of jail, he would always be there for me for the little time that he would be free. Besides my mom, my dad is the only person I can

by Jeff Can you hear me now? Now that I’m shackled and chained Can you hear me now? Now that the “threat” has been contained Can you hear me now? Now that I no longer choke on these unspoken words Tell me can you hear me now? Now that the news has made people think I’m an animal Can you hear me now? Now that you know where I come from Can you hear me now? I try to tell people I’m a good kid Can you hear me now? Detectives trying to send me away for years Can they

by Jazminegee When I was little I used to have no worries in the world When I was little I was just an ordinary little girl When I was little I didn’t know right from wrong When I was little I didn’t care to think where I belonged When I was little the innocence was shattered And now that I’m older I try to convince myself that none of that even mattered When I was little I lost my dad on my brother’s birthday And every year it makes him sad When I was little my mom was addicted to hard

by AD When I was growing up in Antioch I thought I had my life figured out I was just a kid in the ghetto Playing football and going to school Until at seven I got sent to a foster home That’s when my life started to change I started building up anger and depression I was with my foster parents for two years Then I went home thinking it was ok But I started acting up in school, at home, and in the neighborhood The at the age of nine I got sent to another foster home This time

by Im People don’t understand why I am a felon. It’s because of my past, how I grew up, my environment, childhood problems, which led to gangs and being out in the streets and not being home. At home, there was always arguing and commotion going on. Never stopping, always going on. People just think I could be doing better, that I have a lot of potential, but they don’t understand where I come from. I do have a lot of potential for the things I believe in, which is the movement of my people on the streets. I believe