Greetings friend! Welcome to double issue 24.39/40. There is plenty to be read in our anniversary issue, as we are grateful you have taken the time to stop by and read our latest editorial note. We have our wonderful colleague, OT, who will share some words of wisdom, on behalf of all of us here at The Beat Within. We are forever grateful to OT for his time and work. Lets keep it pushing, as we pass the keyboard to OT and then we’ll finish the note with some final words! OT!
I would like to welcome you readers back to another stellar double issue of the one and only The Beat Within. Once again, we are able to bring to you yet another golden globe of writing from writers all over the world, because this little section of the ed’s note is being written by the one and only OT, from Managua, Nicaragua.
Like every issue, and just like every other month where there seems to be a holiday, there always a reason to celebrate. We celebrate the small victories that eventually lead to the big victories. Not only do we celebrate the victories, but we also have to celebrate the losses. Through the losses is where our character gets defined and only by learning from our losses do we ever get the chance to taste that bitter sweet victory!
Every loss gives birth to life, brand-new opportunities, an opportunity for change, and opportunity to make a difference, another opportunity to make things right again in your life. We all search for opportunities. We are all opportunity seekers, but the question is, are we searching for that right opportunity? Are we doing the things that we are doing right now for all of the right reasons?
In this issue, we are celebrating twenty-three years of The Beat Within publication serving various communities, most importantly the communities that seem to be forgotten behind those closed doors, concrete slabs and barbed wire fences. The Beat Within started twenty-three years ago after the death of the late great rapper, Tupac Amaru Shakur. Many of you young people may have heard a couple of Tupac’s songs, but Tupac at the time of his death in September of 1996, was arguably one of the most influential rappers of his generation. He was considered to be the voice to his people, at the same time giving voice to the voiceless.
Following Tupac’s untimely death, stepped in another man, with a great a vision. To say that he planned for The Beat to be where it’s at today, might be far-fetched or maybe prophetic, but with Tupac Shakur’s loss, birthed Mr. Inocencio’s vision for the magazine. At the time it wasn’t planned that way, but Tupac’s loss was felt so profoundly that Dave’s idea to hold consistent writing workshop so the youth could write down their thoughts and help them grieve, and then publish the writing so the youth could see their words on paper, gave birth to what is now an 80-page publication.
The Beat Within is not your ordinary magazine, as many of you have noticed. This is a special place, a safe-haven for many, and maybe the only place where you will see some of the realest and rawest writings. Here in our community we don’t discriminate based on your beliefs, or based on the mistakes that you’ve made, here you are free to be the real you. This is what impresses me most about the magazine today.
I remember when I first started working for The Beat Within back in 2003 fresh out of San Mateo County Juvenile Hall aka Hillcrest, fresh off doing about a year and half in the Ranch and Juvenile Hall.
I went to the office and met, Dave and told him I wanted to volunteer. I met Michael Kroll, Manen Pau (both still working with us) and countless others (too many to name) that worked for The Beat at the time, and helped me be the person I am today. I was never discriminated or looked at like I was less than an equal to them, even though at the time I was active and basically a hoodlum (with all due respect to myself). I was always considered a co-worker, a colleague and treated as a friend.
To me, The Beat Within, is a representation of equality. We are all equal. We all come from the same struggle. Within our writing community, you can laugh, cry, get mad, and even celebrate victories when you see others overcome their obstacles in life. I wish everybody the best in life and hope that we all continue to grow to be better and change our communities. Even though, we mourn Tupac’s death twenty-three years ago, we must celebrate David Inocencio’s birthday today (September 16), and the birthdate of The Beat Within. If I were to sum it up in one word what The Beat means to me, I would say, “everything.” Happy birthday Big D! The birthday man has a few words of his own, to say what all this work means to him…
Thank you OT! Your heartfelt message sums it up very nice. On behalf of everyone reading this note, we truly appreciate your take on the work and what our important connection and friendship means to you. Thanks again for all you do.
Now, here we are in the middle of September, 2019. If you would have told me back in September of 1996 that The Beat Within would be the workhorse and program that it is today I would have shook my head in disbelief. I truly thought when we started The Beat Within back in 1996 it would be a blip on our resume and that most of us would go on to doing something else with our lives. Here we are years later, our daily dedication has shined through and we are still doing the good work in various lock-up facilities and in various community settings each week in California around the USA, as we prepare to embrace our 24th year and our soon to be, 25th year as a direct service program and bi-monthy publication!
With that said, happy anniversary to The Beat Within and to all the good people we have touched and worked with over the years! We could not do this good work without you all and that is including you readers of this editorial note.
Thank you for believing in the work, if you are a writer, artist, facilitator, typist and/or editor. Your role is significant in our success! To make The Beat Within a success, it must be a team effort. We truly appreciate our team leaders at our various sites and our many wonderful facilitators who volunteer their time to make sure our programs are a success each week. To our amazing editors and student interns, who find the time each week to type up entries, edit and respond to each piece with compassion and love. Now, where would we be without you writers and artists who voluntarily take the time to participate in our writing and conversation workshops, be it in juvenile hall, county jail, state prison or the free world!? Your input and contributions teach us plenty and we are forever grateful for you all in sharing your truths in conversation, as well as on paper, for the world to read! Thank you, for sharing your voice and teaching us all. We have learned plenty from you writers – young and old.
We can’t say it enough, your voices are more important now than ever before. There is plenty at stake (look at the leadership in this country!) We all have to weigh in with our opinions, so thank you for sharing your stories, your poetry, raps and art, your commentaries and definitions with us all.
Each day we see on our televisions and read in the newspapers and online the problems with homelessness, mental health, gun violence, the criminal justice system, education system, drugs and alcohol, immigration, poverty, equal rights, the challenges of finding employment and our political system, to name a few. These are the hot topics where we all must have a voice! We all must be heard, even if we are too young to vote or unable to vote, still your opinion matters in our pages. We can only hope your words will continue to inspire our readers to realize they are not alone on this journey or how they feel at this time.
Readers of this editorial note, we welcome your input on what The Beat Within means to you. Your letters of support do go a long way! They not only inspire us and make us feel good about what we have here, but it also helps when we are looking to build and grow with new funding or new collaboration/partnerships. Speak from your hearts about what The Beat means to you, from the inside or out.
May The Beat Within go on and on for as long as there are young and old locked away in the various institutions around the country, as well as those in the free world courageously sharing their stories and challenges. Storytelling is the key to making the world a better place. Let’s now take a moment to listen to each other and learn! Or, given you are reading this ed note, well, keep reading these pages and we certainly hope you will find inspiration from our many contributors. Thank you friends, partners and collaborators! See you all soon…