Category: Piece of the Week

by Chris I’m reading a drawing just tryin’ to stay busy, this white room is shrinking I’m getting dizzy, I’m tired of waiting, contemplating and debating on the next thing to do, with all of these guards, I’m trying not to be rude, sitting thinking ‘bout my family and momma, I hate to say it but the woman’s just drama, all that woman does is yell and scream, I hope she wakes up from her dream, starving herself washing it down, she drinks herself so she don’t have to frown, I try not to think about it so much, it starts with a

by Teezy I’m tired of being here to be honest. Coming here over and over is not cool at all. I wake up every day and ask myself, “How did I get here?” I never thought that I would ever be here. I’m tired of this street life. I’m tired of watching over my shoulder everywhere I go because of the things I’ve done to people in the past. I can’t leave my house without having a gun with me because there’s people that want to take my life because of my poor decisions. Before my other brother got shot in

by Brittany Anxiety will ruin you and being locked up doesn’t make it any better. The counselors act like they understand what you’re going through. They think locking me up in a small room with no windows will help calm me down. I can’t just breath through my anxieties, it’s not that easy. I’m sitting here shaking, crying, heart pounding and I can’t catch my breath. The staff just tells me it’s going to be okay. Now, it’s not going to be okay. I am sitting in Juvenile Hall after the most traumatic experience of my life. Not knowing what is

by Delandreas, Year 1, Issue 1 As I sat in juvenile hall, I worried and thought about 2Pac who was in intensive care at the time. I thought for sure he would survive the terrible tragedy which happened to him in Las Vegas. Now that 2Pac has passed, his death really worries me because of the life he led. I always wondered when something went down with 2Pac (shootings, rape, running his mouth, and talking shhh in his raps) if it would come back on him? I see his death as a tragedy, because he was a man who had

by Francis, Year 1, Issue 1 2Pac was as real as a person could get! Like all of us, he had a good side and a dangerous side. He was a ghter in my eyes. The good side of 2Pac was that he always told the truth. The truth is so important because we who listen to his music have much respect for him. Even his gangster side spoke about the reality of my streets, the daily horrors of alcohol, drugs, women, killin’ and gangbangin’. When I hear that 2Pac died, I got so sad. The thought of him being

by Young E Freedom for all Equality Happy faces Regardless of your race No tears Moms, Dads, Grams, Gramps, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins happy to have all family In one place A safe world No drive by shootings No gang violence No guns Just peace, love, understanding And good conversation To work out our differences. No corruption. Is it possible? Maybe. Where do we start? In our homes With our family? In the schoolhouse With our classmates? On the block With our neighbors and friends? At the job With our colleagues? Or, on the bus With strangers? Sure all the

by Brandon It is never too late to turn your life around. Through your whole life many opportunities will approach you to change your life around for the better but it will be up to you to want to change your life. No one can make you do anything but it is up to you to realize what’s best for yourself. Personally, my plan is to graduate high school and then go to college for as long as it takes to become a nurse in the medical eld. Stanley Tookie Williams, a man who was incarcerated for several years on

by Summer What am I to the world? Nothing but a torn down knock, juvenile delinquent, slut, gang banger, hooligan. I’m not sure. At seventeen I’ve become all the above. I’m afraid I will turn out like my daddy, torn down, gang banger, in prison doing twenty-eight years for a crime he should have never committed. I love my dad but now all I see is a coward. Why did you have to use a gun? Growing up, all I’ve had are my two sts. I’m angry that he (my dad) would give up raising me for a color, but

by Daniel To the amazing young men and women incarcerated across the United States of America – my question to you is this. Take a long, hard look at where you at. Ask yourself – do you like where you are right now? I’m assuming that most of the readers of The Beat Within are looking from left to right at the overall same things: three walls, a ceiling, a door that you cannot push, pull, or turn open, a stainless steel sink, toilet, and a steel mirror. I’m also assuming you have trouble sleeping at night in your cell.

by Zuhaur Muhammad Ali was and still is one of the most in uential human beings of all time. He fought for injustice committed against African Americans. He was the best there is in the boxing world and he proved it by his actions. His name continues to bring joy to other people because that’s what the effect of his entire life is. There is nobody else who has led a life like Muhammad Ali and there was not a single moment when he failed to prove himself. This is who Muhammad Ali is.