Ed Note 30.25/26

Editor's Note

Welcome Beat Contributors and Beat Readers! We’re proud to present to you our latest double dose edition of the one and only The Beat Within. Our magazine brings us the latest truths and honest stories from our beloved youth, and a sprinkle of knowledge from our adult contributors in our BWO Section.  They share great insight, knowledge and game. This week we are blessed to have two stupendous interns from Urban High School sharing their Beat Within experience. They have been helping us type and edit, to make sure we put out the magazine every other week.   We are

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Creating My Own Path

Piece of the Week

-Karii, San Francisco I think something I had to learn the hard way is that actions have consequences. This is definitely not my first time here.  I wouldn’t say I am a frequent flyer, but I have been locked up a few times and unfortunately my circumstances led me to make decisions that got me here. I used to pity myself when I was younger and point fingers at everybody but myself.  Now that I am older, I look at things differently. Even though this system is messed up and being a city kid really does set you up for

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I Should’ve Listened To My Mama

The Beat Without

-Luqman, San Quentin State Prison, CA Growing up my mom constantly told me my friends are not my friends. She told me this after I was dropped off by the police. See, me and my friends didn’t get together to play in our community.  I lived this way until I was sentenced to 38 years in prison at the age of eighteen. At one point I’d given up on life. Thirty-eight years is a long time. I should have listened to my mama. I later met a guy who convinced me to take a self-help class, which ultimately changed my

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Ed Note 30.23/24

Editor's Note

A slightly different version of this Editor’s Note was first published in The Beat Within about twenty years ago. We are reprinting it here for two reasons. First, we want you to think about all the changes for the better that have happened over the years. For example, there are now a variety of useful programs, from meditation, mindfulness and real psychological counseling, to your ability to take college courses and earn degrees that promise a better future. But, at the same time, much of the criticism of the system we wrote about is as true today as it was

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Building Each Other Up

Piece of the Week

-LD, Albuquerque “I truly believe that building bridges not building walls and not giving into fear will make our communities better.” Charles Barkley  I like this quote and agree with it because, from experience, having connections and building bridges gives you more opportunities. We need to help each other and not tear each other down. That helps our communities build bridges to be better.  We can all be so selfish and so segregated that we don’t build those bridges but build walls. Personally, I like to build bridges and have those connections, so I can be able to have those

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Dear The Beat Within Youth, Contributor, and Staff

The Beat Without

-Johnny, California Health Care Facility in Stockton, CA Greetings, I am so grateful to be a part of The Beat Within Family. The first part of this year for me has been about reflection and living potential. Here at California Health Care Facility, we participated in National Crime Victims Rights Week in April. As a peer facilitator for Victims Awareness on Tuesday nights we teach and learn about Victim’s rights, impact, ripple effect, and needs. We encourage empathy from our participants to muster the inner choice and decision to reduce the risk of reoffending, to be a part of the

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Ed Note 30.21/22

Editor's Note

We welcome you readers back to another double dose edition of the one and only The Beat Within. It’s OT once again coming at you guys live from the land the quakes and shakes, and the hot volcanic rocks of Managua, Nicaragua.  I’m blessed and tasked once again to share some positive insight with our Beat Readers and writers, so let’s get to it ladies and gentlemen. As always, I love to touch on one of our weekly writing prompts to drop my two cents on how I feel about the topic and this week the topic that kept ringing

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