Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingMonth: April 2019
Ed Note 24.17/18
Welcome friends to another outstanding double issue, 24.17/18, of The Beat Within. This week our dear friend and colleague, Alyssa Maano, sent us a powerful editorial about her connection to The Beat Within and the late rapper, Nipsey Hussle, who sadly was taken from us way too soon. We really appreciate her heartfelt message, as much as we appreciate her immense dedication to the workshops she leads inside the Sacramento County Juvenile Detention Facility. Thank you, Alyssa! About five years ago, I began my journey with The Beat Within. I was about 21 years old and had been sick
Continue ReadingNever Too Late To Change
by Alexis Pamiroyan To all of you teenagers spread out in juvenile halls, group homes, and other facilities across the country, you hold something within yourself that you may not be aware of. You hold “The Beat within Yourself” that is screaming to be heard and NOW is the time to pay attention to what it is exactly saying to you and the world around you! In just six simple words to you, it’s never too late to change! I know that you are sitting there locked away or removed from the place that you call “home,” and you are
Continue ReadingUnstoppable
by Charlie What does unstoppable mean to me? Well, it means nothing can stop you from doing what you’re doing, as in my persona. I believe I’m unstoppable because no matter what I do or in what I participate in, if I fail or succeed, I will try again. In other words, nothing or no one will stop me from trying to reach my goals because I am unstoppable and I always will be. No matter what happens in my life or what happens around me, I will not stop for a second. All I’ve ever been told in life
Continue ReadingVolume 24.15/16
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 24.15/16
Welcome back to the editorial pages of The Beat Within, where we are showcasing another couple of reflections from our amazing interns, students at the Urban High School of San Francisco. If you’re just joining us, we work with high school students to transcribe pieces that come to us through The Beat Without, a section of our magazine comprised of writing from primarily adults in various institutions around the state and beyond. This week we have Indy, who through his work with us, begins to recognize the many ways that oppression is woven into the lives of incarcerated individuals. We
Continue ReadingI’m Mad, Open Your Eyes!
by E I am mad at myself for not doing what’s right. I’m mad that every time I say I’m going to change, something comes up and it ends up going sideways. I am mad that I lie to myself and to my parents about leaving this lifestyle, but I don’t realize until I’m behind these walls. I’m mad that I can’t do what’s right. I mean, I know what to do, when to do it, and how to do it, I just act like I can play the system. But let me tell you that that’s the only thing
Continue ReadingLife Chain
by Brother Vernon Smith Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away, that they were meant to be there to serve some sort of purpose and teach you a lesson. They help you figure out who you are, or who you want to become. You never know just who these people may be, but when you lock eyes with them, you know in that moment, that they will affect your life in some profound way. Sometimes things happen to you and at that time, they may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that
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