Greetings friends of The Beat Within! Welcome to double issue 25.19/20! It is hard to believe we are well over two months into our Shelter In Place, social distancing, mask wearing life style in order to navigate the new world we are living in, due to COVID-19. What more can we say around COVID-19 that has not been expressed in this issue and in recent past issues of The Beat Within? We are also hopeful that your news sources are keeping you up to date and not overwhelming you too much. We do know, too much news is not a good thing, as we are all learning how to navigate a new way of living. We do want to say, that our amazing writing community has truly stepped up when it comes to sharing concerns, news, ideas around the COVID -19 pandemic, especially our friends and colleagues over at Kid CAT inside San Quentin State Prison. We could not ask for better updates than what these men are delivering each week. Thank you.
We are also thrilled that a number of old friends and colleagues (in the free world) have risen to the occasion to share their views with us readers of The Beat Within. A big thank you to OT, Merv Wool, 007, ForevaGrateful, Missy Hart, Kraz-E, and Elias Gutierrez for their time and commitment. We know you will gain plenty from these thoughtful writers, who give us their take on the world as they see it through their lens.
Today we welcome to our Editorial pages the voice of one of our high school interns, Remmi, from Urban School of San Francisco. In his piece, we see his views and opinions of incarcerated individuals evolve through his transcriptions of our Beat Without (BWO) writing, and the intimacy this experience has cultivated for him.
A Great Impact On My Views
Before I came to work with The Beat Within, I did not have a targeted opinion on the justice system or incarcerated individuals, but I did have an image in my mind that is portrayed in the media. In many movies and the media, those who are incarcerated are usually portrayed as violent and demeaning. To be honest, I had a single stereotype that I associated with those in prison. In reading each one of these poems and personal anecdotes, it allowed me to expand my horizons on how I viewed those in prison. It allowed me to humanize and get an inside look at the reality behind each one of their lives. I knew that the criminal system was very unjust and did little to help inmates better themselves, but it is hard to truly understand if you do not know the stories behind each person.
Receiving these poems, letters, and personal anecdotes allowed me to further expand my knowledge of those who are incarcerated. These personal stories allowed me to humanize each person in prison and connect with them on an intimate level. Hearing about why or how they ended up in prison, or what they have learned about while in prison, has caused a great impact on my views on those incarcerated. Instead of having a “melting pot†of individuals in prison, I now have humanized stories that have allowed me to connect to each piece of writing as well as each writer. I was able to connect with each piece of writing on a more intimate level.
One personal piece of written work that really stood out to me was a poem about a person’s childhood. The poem was called “Gangs†and it was written by Jesse Ayers. They depicted their views on gangs and needing a place to fit in and be accepted. A couple of lines from this poem that really stood out to me were “every gang seemed to be different, but every gang was exactly the same. The sense of belonging and acceptance was followed by years of solemn repentance. Acts of violence on other neighborhood enemies never made sense when it was explained to me.†I found it interesting how they brought this new perspective on gangs, one that I would not have thought of. Most of the anecdotes and poems I read did leave me with a new perspective on how I viewed different aspects of my life. It made me grateful for what I have, while also acknowledging my privilege. Although some of them were difficult to read, I did find myself not wanting to look away. I was able to explore so many emotions while reading these poems and personal stories such as anger, fear, happiness, sadness, and more. These stories were entirely captivating and completely honest and they allowed a deeper insight into the reality of our world.
-Remmi, Urban School of San Francisco,
San Francisco, CA
Thank you Remmi for giving us your take on The Beat and the great work you have done on our behalf to make our magazine the successful publication that it is. The Beat Within is truly a team effort and we are thankful for all you have done and continue to do.
Before we close, we want you to know with many of our juvenile sites, we are leading weekly virtual workshops with the youth, if not having their amazing probation staff run groups on our behalf. We are grateful for our partners at these various sites in helping us connect virtually with the young people Overall, a big thank you goes out to East Mesa Juvenile Detention Center in San Diego, LACOE and Central Juvenile Hall in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Juvenile Justice Center, Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center, the Sacramento Juvenile Detention Center, Solano County Juvenile Hall, Yolo County Juvenile Hall, Marin County Juvenile Hall, Santa Cruz Juvenile Hall, San Mateo and Sonoma Juvenile Hall and lastly Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall and Ranch, not to forget our amazing community partners, HOMEY, the TAY Clinic and ILSP/First Place For Youth. We truly appreciate your support and patience as we all navigate these unchartered territories together. We are all learning with each email, virtual workshop/meeting, letter, story and every conversation we have with you all. With that said, a big SHOUT OUT to all you writers and artists. You all are truly appreciated.
Thanks friends, stay heathy, please do your part and do the best you can in social distancing yourself from others. We know for many it is nearly impossible, given the living arrangements you are under. We also want you to remember to wear a mask at all times, especially when you are off your bunk, or out of your room. Lastly, wash your hands! Stay clean and hopefully chances are slimmer that you will get any type of sickness, let alone this virus. Thank you, friends for being on the other side of this message. We truly appreciate your words, wisdom and support. Do not hesitate to reach out to us. Your words, Your stories and truths matter. We are listening!
This issue is dedicated to everyone who has a hand in this team effort. Thank you, thank you! You are more than noticed, you are essential to our success! Be well.