-Michelos, Sonoma To me, The Beat was a mere program, something that I had to do. I’d say the only thing that really stood out to me was the man who would come teach the program: Michael. But as time pushed, I think I changed. In general, I liked to write, but somewhere in my crazy life I lost it. And when I came to juvenile hall, I had the urge to write. Yet the consistency got to me, the man telling every week to write something, the first week it was okay, but a year later… a thought came
Continue ReadingWho Are You?
-D, Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, CA I have a question for you. Who are you? What are you and why are you? I have been faced with this question all my life. I came from a background who’s parents did not know how to pay attention to my mental development. It left me to make decisions through a lot of my traumas. My true identity hid behind fear, and self-consciousness. I felt I was already being thrown away by this world. But what I’ve learned by being thrown away by this world is that we all make mistakes;
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Volume 30.27/28
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 30.27/28
We hope you enjoy this issue of The Beat Within as we tackle topics of summer, choice and grandparents. Thank you everyone for your constant community, we are so humbled to share another issue of this communal magazine with you. As summer heats up and school is out for vacation, we want to publish a few reflections from the last group of student interns from Urban High School. These students help The Beat Within week in and week out by typing up workshop writing from many different locations and we really appreciate the extra help! As you can imagine, there
Continue ReadingThey’ve Always Been There
-J, San Francisco My grandparents are cool people because they’ve always been there for me. They took care of me when I was younger. We’d go on walks throughout the Mission. If we ran into some of their friends, we’d go eat together, sometimes the McDonalds. I’d get a McGriddle with a hash brown. We’d go to church or out to eat at other places. I’d just be happy when I was with them. They just understood me. My grandparents are still showing up for me. They still come and visit me here. I feel like they were better grandparents
Continue ReadingMy Choice To Change
-Donald, San Quentin “Change is the end result of all true learning.” Leo Buscaglia I agree with this quote because it wasn’t until I truly learned, that I actually changed. I made a lot of choices over my lifetime, which I believed were choices, that were the same choices that others were making for me which were, for the most part, bad choices. They were choices that became a means of survival for me. As I’ve gone through life and I sit with the consequences of the choices I’ve made and hearing the stories of others’ lives and experiences, I
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Volume 30.25/26
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 30.25/26
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
Continue ReadingCreating My Own Path
-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
Continue ReadingI Should’ve Listened To My Mama
-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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