by CS, Sacramento My greatest teacher is life itself, or myself alone. Because I didn’t really have anybody to tell me right from wrong, so I taught myself to survive and fit in. I started learning what to do and what not to do by trial and error. For a long time, I didn’t know how to tie my shoes, so I would tie the ends in knots and cut them short. Another teacher for me was my grandma. She didn’t physically or verbally teach me, but by watching her, I learned what not to do. She was going through
Continue ReadingMy Greatest Teachers Are My Family
by Jr., San Mateo My greatest teacher was my father, my mother, my brother and my grandma. My father was one of my greatest teachers because he was wiser than me, so he knew how to say things to me. My dad taught me how to make money legally without having to hurt someone. He normally told me about past experiences and how to hold my own weight. My dad and me had a lot of ideas to make legal money like travel agencies, real estate, stocks and becoming an entrepreneur. My mom was also one of my greatest teachers
Continue ReadingMy Story
by Raul, San Diego My story is lifeHappiness, love, games, and unknownMy story is painHated instantly and gangsMy story is lavishMoney, sex, and experiencesMy story is crimeDesperation, time, and understandingMy story should end hereBut I won’t let itMy story has only just startedMy story will be told to those who have chosen thatThey will not lose to the handOf statistics and stereotypesOur story must be heard
Continue ReadingFuture
by Gucc, San Mateo It’s 7 AM. I have been waiting for this day for a long time. I start to knock on my door loud, “AYE pop my door! I’m ready!” The staff replies jokingly “ Wow Mr. Gucc you’re up early today!” To which I don’t reply. I don’t have time for jokes or conversation. I have one thing and one thing only on my mind. Going home. I hear the sound of the lock on my door retracting. I open my door and quickly put my Bob Barker shoes against it to keep it propped. “Aye can
Continue ReadingMistakes And Losses
by EE, Sacramento My greatest teacher is mistakes and losses. As you, everyone takes losses and makes mistakes. And trust me, in my life, I have had plenty of both. Mistakes are there for you to learn from them, so you can do better in the future. They are learning experiences. If no one ever made a mistake, then we wouldn’t know our rights from wrongs. To be honest, we probably wouldn’t do half the things we do. Every time I make a mistake, it encourages me to stop guessing and try my best on each question. If I wouldn’t
Continue ReadingMy Kids Are My Everything
by Terkesha Lane, Federal Detention Center in Miami, Florida This is not a letter due to my current circumstances of being in prison. I have always felt this way about my children. Year after year, the older they became, I fell more in love with them. Their personalities, different but interesting moods, little quirks, the craziness (which I’m sure came from me) just the small things most people would not notice, like how they change when they are sleepy, different study habits, the educational subjects each of them liked or disliked, even how they arranged their clothing closet. Yes, I
Continue ReadingReady To Write
by Chad Fitzpatrick, Correctional Facility in Moose Lake, Minnesota I recently watched a movie on T.V called “Freedom Writers.” It’s about a teacher who encourages her sophomore English class who many are from the inner-city and are gang members to write in a journal every day. It didn’t matter what it was they wrote or how much they wrote as long as they wrote in it every day. They would not be graded on it nor would they be read unless they wanted her to read them. Every time I see that movie it inspires me more to keep on
Continue Reading
Volume 26.27/28
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 26.27/28
Better late than never! After nearly 2 years, we finally took a break to celebrate family and friends last week up in Lake Tahoe, CA. It was great to getaway and enjoy this amazing place, especially given how COVID kept us all away until recently, but unfortunately that put the magazine on pause, and we fell a few days behind. Our apologies. You may question internally, why could someone not step up in one’s absence, well, as a tiny non-profit, we don’t always have the people power to have folks cover for the good work, but we know you understand,
Continue ReadingIsabella And Randy
by Jeramiah, Albuquerque, New Mexico My grandparents are Isabella and Randy. These two amazing and significant individuals have been around me my entire life. I say they are amazing because they have been with me through my ups and downs. When I got locked up, they were one of the very few who actually wrote me and wanted to talk to me. They made me so happy to have them around. I thank them for giving me the best life they could give to me. I have learned that I appreciate and respect them with my entire being. They are
Continue Reading