Category: The Beat Without

by Johnny Rodriguez Greetings, Happy New Year! May 2020 be filled with continued vision to facilitate and solutionize short and long term goals.  Once we’re on the road of self-motivating inner healing, change, and recovery management can we individually live a meaningful life with self-respect, dignity, and steadfastness in light of our past.  Continuing to improve ourselves permits us to venture into new arenas cautiously to protect ourselves, especially, the work of reducing the risk of recidivism to earnestly be proactive, social and purposeful. Having a visionary perspective in effect, I’ve learned to not limit my inner perspective to continue

by  Marquees Johnson I remember sitting in San Francisco’s juvenile hall attending the Omega meetings listening to Jack throw knowledge into our minds I remember him telling us that only one or two of us would actually understand and take heed to the message and the others would learn and understand the message the hard way. At that time, I just knew that I was one of the two that was going to get the message that night.  Unfortunately, 14 15 years later I now understand that I had to learn the hard way. I’m now 28 old sitting inside

by Thomas Sheen Dear Beat Within Readers, Deciding to change is not simple, but it’s something I knew I needed. At a certain point in my life, life seemed so empty and void of happiness that I doubted as to whether there was any hope for me of ever experiencing happiness again. To me it was obvious that something had to change.  My initial thoughts were, “If only I were not locked up,” “If only I had a job,” “If only I could see my family.” I knew these things could add to my happiness, but they didn’t necessarily produce

by Joseph Weathington Dear Dad,  I was really sad, hurt, and disappointed in you for not having being a father to and for me when I needed one the most.  I don’t know if you were capable of being a father, and by father, I mean being there emotionally, being supportive, encouraging, guiding, loving, and all the rest that goes with being a dad.  I’d like to think that you are sad about it as well.  I thought something was wrong with me because of your leaving and abandonment.  I took it upon myself to blame myself for your terrible inadequacies. 

by Jesus Cortez Growing up my relationship with my father was what a relationship was supposed to be between a father and a son. I felt safe, accepted, loved, and important. I felt this up until he left which was when I was 5 years old. From that point on I had no relationship with him until he returned when I was 8. In his absence, I really did miss him, and needed him in my life. I remember my family and I lived in some apartments right across the street from Highway 99 in McFarland, CA.  I would regularly

by Raymond Goins Hello young men and women. My name is Raymond Goins and I have spent more time in a cell than each one of you have spent alive on earth. I am currently serving a 28 year sentence because I believed that all I was was a badass, all I ever would be is a failure, and that I was destined to land here in prison.  I would like to take this opportunity to speak to you and tell you a bit about myself. However, before I do, please allow me to share with you another story. It

by Alexis A. Pamiroyan When I was a teenager, I looked in the mirror with no sense of direction. I wanted to be somebody? Young minded, I didn’t know who I wanted to be? So, I chose to follow and be like the rest. No father figure, one potential (father figure) but I didn’t give him a chance. A role model? If you asked me what that was, I’d tell you Robert De Niro in the gangster movie, “Goodfellas.”   Following others who were misguided, I became one of the homies. This took me down a path of criminality that

by Corey J. Elder I believe that prison can take many forms. One form of a prison is the issue of homelessness. Homelessness is a prison because it “locks up” human potential and creativity. And as a result the family, the community, and the society suffers. Many of those homeless are women and children. And to have women and children homeless is a tragedy that we may never recover from. Homelessness is crippling and debilitating. It demeans and devalues the human spirit. It oppresses ones hopes and dreams. And the longer one is homeless, the more damaging the results. We

by  Osbun Walton It was an early morning, uncommonly quiet, and with no movement because of a fog alert, yet people were going to different places, to work, to the yard or day room to play cards and chess. My cellie went on a visit. After my usual routine of cleaning up the cell, I had nothing else to do but relax, because I got my homework and letter writing finished last night.  My brother Timothy’s fifty-dollar JPAY to me was still sitting erect against the wall, middle ways on my bunk, which I received three day ago. A JPAY

by Roberto Figueroa  I write to you with pain in my heart, realizing that you walk the same path I once did. I write these words from Ironwood State Prison with a life sentence of 50 to life. I thought to myself how can I do my part to help someone in need? Not just someone, but a young person who has a promising future ahead of them, you are the future. So make it count.  From a young age I was influenced by my environment. It felt like choices were made for me, but here’s the reality, I made