The Beat Within / Writing and Art from the Inside

- See our page at Changing The Present (a nonprofit website offering gifts that change the world).

- Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center in New Mexico mentions The Beat on their website.

- Our website was discussed on an ebay forum with positive feedbacks! Thanks ebay user snickerdoodles83!

- "I could tell from her voice something was wrong. She then broke out in tears, as she told me Michael had died. My heart dropped. I was speechless. Shock. My mind started to wonder in immediate sadness. I didn’t know what to say."

- Head over to BookPlesures.com for one of the many reviews on our Beat book.

- "I've been mulling over their website and magazines for the past couple of days and I'm telling you this is the some of the best shit I've read in a long time."

- Check out WireTap (Webby-winning news and culture magazine by and for young people interested in social change.) for an article they have on The Beat!

What I Left To Come Here
Carlos, Sep 04, 2008
I want you to know that I don�t care if they send us back to Honduras because I am from the streets and my parents have thought me to never give up because hopes are the last thing we can loose.

A Fool Or A Father
Alex , Sep 04, 2008
Well this means those who get woman pregnant and abondon them. The truth is that they shouldn�t call these people fathers.

Back In The Halls
Deontae, Sep 04, 2008
My name is Deontae and I�m back in juvenile. I�m really finna stop coming here. I can�t keep coming here because I�m getting tired of the staff keep telling me what to do � when I have to take showers and eat.

That Peaceful Place
Rosny, Sep 04, 2008
I remember that we would get up at 5 in the morning to pray, then to have breakfast at 7. After breakfast, I would help my mom with the cleaning, and then I would do others activities.

Who Believes In You
Trying, Sep 04, 2008
Would you believe in someone who keeps letting you down in so many different ways. But when people believe in you it helps you believe in yourself and try to do better.

My Mom�s Drug
Samantha, Sep 04, 2008
She was not there to hear her pain or feel her tears. It was me and my dad that were there, not my mother. So I told her that I did not want to see her - no matter what.

Lavelle
Diablito, Sep 04, 2008
With my eyes closed, I had walk in this world, not really knowing,
Blind folded
I used to travel, not really knowing where I was going,

Stress Out About Everything
Donavan, Sep 04, 2008
What�s up Beat? This ya� boy Twin. Today I am going to talk about why I am stressing? One reason is because I haven�t seen my twin. Whenever I start to think about him I start to cry because I want to be with him on the outs so bad.

If�
Bd, Sep 04, 2008
Since the 1970s we have doubled the amount of prisons and juvenile hall facilities, hoping that in doing so we would lower criminal activity and make the streets a safer place.

Can�t Hide
Bill Gates, Sep 04, 2008
You can�t hide behind the Bible
When I�m rocking with my disciples
Eyes on that scope on top of that rifle
You either make it or fail and that�s how life go

Your Life Will Change In A Blink Of An Eye
Everything, Sep 04, 2008
It�s a strange thing. Your life can change in the blink of an eye. Everything, every small thing that you do will affect you.

Open Your Eyes
Lady Happy, Sep 04, 2008
As you take the bullet to your head
you end up 6 feet under, dead.
Now you�re gone wit no one to your side
homies saying they were down to ride�

Life
Lik, Sep 04, 2008
Two days before summer even started, I got a call from my friend. We were going to go to the studio to make a song and he asked, �Where are you at?�

Reality Check
Lil� Chopstick, Sep 04, 2008
Ay, for real man, let�s all get back to reality
Why do young people have that robbing and killing mentality
The thing I want back the most is my childhood
18th birthday coming up and it ain�t none good

I Cried
Lil� Chopstick, Sep 04, 2008
Tear dropping down my face cause time get hard
18th birthday that a ticket on a prison car
I cried cause where I�m at is like living hell
Sitting in the cell, hearing demon inside of my yell

Life
Shadow, Sep 04, 2008
Everyone is always worried about their body, money, clothes, jewelry, and etc., knowing that everything on this Earth is going to be destroyed anyways, expect for our souls and spirits.

Growing Up By Myself
Stephaun, Sep 04, 2008
Man, today is July 29 and my birthday is July 31. I�m gonna be 15. It might sound crazy, but I�m gonna celebrate it. I�m not celebrating �cause I�m in jail.

My Eyes Were Once Closed, But Now They�re Open
Dorin , Sep 04, 2008
Since I been here I was able to accomplish lots of things that I wouldn�t normally have been able to on the outs due to all the distractions in the free world.

Positive Life
Dat Savage, Sep 04, 2008
I�m trying get on the positive side
get my life together,
stop living in the stormy weather
when it could be sunny forever.

Who Believes In You?
Ramon, Sep 04, 2008
There�s lots of things in me that these people don�t know. The thing that makes me so mad is that some of the things these people say came true.

Gutta Shhh Part 1 (That Mirror Effect)
Young Dunny, Sep 04, 2008
If one of y�all ninjas find a female like that, do what I did an� see what it do. But I�m gonna kick this gutta shhh to the curb so they can drop it off in them apartments.

With Eyes Closed
Smirk, Sep 04, 2008
After we sober up, we hate it cause � HELLO � reality visits again. There�s no getting away from this misery. But hey, we also have good times. Those are the best! The worst ones are the homies or loved ones passing.

Street Mentality
Young Art, Sep 04, 2008
Only if I just would have stayed in school and got more knowledge
But for some reason I don�t see me making it through college Instead I wanted to be on the streets makin' money the easy way
Now I�m in jail with no money but time to pay

Gaze
M, Sep 04, 2008
With eyes closed,
you see nothing realistic,
you only see
the happiness that�s not there,
and the way you want it to be.

All I Can Do Is Move Forward
Young Thai, Sep 04, 2008
Sitting in these halls
nothing to do but stare at blank walls.
Not knowing how long I will have to suffer
could be just another couple of weeks

The Last Hug
J-Rhydah, Sep 04, 2008
The last hug was from my mom. The hug meant a lot to me. It was a good and sad feeling. It was good �cause I got it from my mom, and she still supports me even if I did wrong.

Making My Dream Come True
Michel�le, Sep 04, 2008
My dream is to be a fashion merchandiser so I can pick out the new fashion and sell it to Macy�s or Bloomingdales. Or ill be able to sell it out of me own store.

With Eyes Closed
Jeremy, Sep 04, 2008
When I got in here and sobered up. I woke up. Eyes wide open to a new reality. I am aware of all my actions now. Now I realize that it was no dream that I was living, but a nightmare.

How Addiction Stole Love
Jonathan, Sep 03, 2008
I think that the worst drug is Crystal Meth. I think this �cause it ruins the most families, takes the most jobs, and most of all kills the most people.

Hall of Illusions � For My Dad
Anthony, Sep 03, 2008
Walk through the doors to the walls
of the illusion
witness yours
to see what could have been real,
except you had to mess up the whole deal.

For more pieces, browse through the categories to the right.