We welcome back our wonderful community of Beat readers and writers! We hope this issue finds you in good health and high spirits during these challenging times we are all facing. The Beat Within staff, volunteers, and community partners continue to work with extra diligence in the midst of this global pandemic to make sure that The Beat ends up in your hands. We are making the most of our social distancing and transition to alternate ways of learning and growing. You inspire us each and every day, and give us the strength to persevere! For this issue, we’d like
Continue ReadingForgiving My Father
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.
Continue ReadingHealing On Highway 99
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
Continue ReadingMy Life Story
by Sneakz March 27, 2003, the day I came busting out of my momma’s womb. I was born in Redwood City, CA., but raised in South City, also known as South San Francisco. When I was little I was always that one kid who was always getting into trouble, and I mean always! Preschool was fun. My teacher caught me kissing this girl one time and she told me that she was going to tell my parents. When my dad came to pick me up that day my teacher pulled him aside and they were talking for a cool minute.
Continue ReadingYou Don’t Have to Stress
by Eddy I define success when you don’t have to stress. Put your mind to the test and you’re able to rest. When you’re no longer in poverty, laughing and joking. Thinking to yourself, like can’t nothing bother me. Success is when you beat the statistics of what they said you were gonna be and your standing at the top thinking, I know they envy me. Success is when you got consistency and stability and where you don’t have to fake anything. Walk anywhere with your head held high like this is the real me. Success is when
Continue ReadingVolume 25.13/14
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 25.13/14
Dear friends of The Beat Within! First off we want to send our love and respect to you all during this time of uncertainty. We want you to know The Beat staff is working from home, while trying to stay healthy and we hope you are taking care of yourselves too. Please know that despite the Shelter in Place mandate, we are still here for you! We know that taking all the necessary precautions is important and we hope that you are practicing social distancing and following guidelines around hand washing and disinfecting. Every precaution each of us takes helps curb the
Continue ReadingBad Kids: Should We Lock Them Up and Throw Away the Key?
by Bobby Bostic Currently there are over 2,500 juveniles (anyone who was under the age of 18 years old when they committed their crime) serving a sentence of life without parole for homicide in the Unites States. (“Rest of Their Lives”) In addition to this there is three thousand more serving de facto life without parole sentences (a sentence of many decades in prison beyond the juvenile’s life expectancy) for violent crimes that did not involve murder. (Graham v Florida) Before I express my viewpoint on this issue I want to ask the readers a question. Do you feel that juveniles who commit heinous
Continue ReadingMy Story
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
Continue ReadingSaying Goodbye to Family
by Baby K I’ve said goodbye to a lot of people before and after they died. The first goodbye I ever said was to my mom when I realized that there was no fixing our relationship. The second goodbye I’ve said was to my baby sister. We had my little sister from birth until she just turned one-year-old. It really hurt me to say goodbye because she had just started to say my name, and whenever I wouldn’t pick her up she would cry. What hurts me the most, though, is that I will never be able to see her again because the
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