Month: April 2021

Ed Note 26.15/16

Editor's Note

We are thrilled to give you readers this beautiful publication every two weeks, as we slowly but surely approach our 25th year of service (come mid-September) of writing and art from inside juvenile hall and beyond!  Who would have thought that this tiny non-profit based in San Francisco would touch so many lives over the last 25 years? Think about all the publications, all the workshops, all the letters/submissions sent to us, with the desire to be published, to touch a life, to share a story, to educate and inspire!? What an honor to be doing this work with you

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Emotional Pain Is Worse Than Physical

Piece of the Week

by R, Sacramento Pain is a word I have heard a lot. It’s also something I have dealt with a lot. Since I was a child, I’ve experienced pain. Both physical and mental or emotional pain I know very well. As physical gain goes, I have broken my hand and shin. I have also been burned, cut, and jumped.  To me, physical pain is easier to deal with than mental pain. If it’s physical, you are hurt for a while, a couple days, couple weeks, or a couple of months. But your body is going to heal eventually because that’s

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Elementary Memories

Life Stories

 by Anthony, San Mateo  This is going to be about my five to six years in elementary school. First grade was in San Bruno Allen Elementary, the school behind the San Bruno library on El Camino Real. It was the good life in first grade, having to not worry about anything in life but passing my easy lil’ kid packet and class with one teacher. I had hella friends and it was a good life. I don’t even know how to say it. It was definitely a trouble and stress-free life, just living, when thinking is not what you do.

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The Pain

Piece of the Week

by Lil O, James Ranch, Santa Clara During my life I’ve been through some things, seen a lot, done a lot, been through a lot. I remember those days when I was a little kid being a little travieso and shhh.  Growing up was hard, my mom didn’t want me to be like my family, she wants me to be a good kid doing good. I was a kid that struggled a lot, got angry all the time. My mom didn’t like that. She used to hit me. She’ll call my uncles and they’ll do the same thing they wanted

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I’ve Seen A Lot Growing Up

Piece of the Week

by JA, Sacramento I have seen a lot. Some I can’t talk about, growing up in the area I grew up in. You gotta stick and weave. If you know then you know. Some make it out, some don’t. Some get killed trying to make it out, some like bein’ even sixteen.  I have done seen so much when I was five. I’m not like the others and for sure not like others my age nor is my mind or person. A lot of people think I’m older than my age. I had to grow up fast. Do I like

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Dear Beat Within Community

The Beat Without

by Torrey Thomas, San Quentin State Prison, CA I am doing great and as always thank you for giving all incarcerated people a chance to have our voices heard on such an amazing platform. As I write this letter on April 5th, I am currently in “the Hole”. I’m waiting on my transfer that should happen in a couple more days.  As I am aware all inmates in San Quentin who are age 25 and under will leave and go to a prison called Valley State. This is because of a program called Youth Offender Program (YOP). So far I’m

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Forgiveness

The Beat Without

by Q. Paige, San Quentin State Prison, CA Something that is equally hard to receive as well as give. Some might even think they’re not even deserving of it. Webster Dictionary defines “Forgiveness” as to give up resentment, pardon. Webster Thesaurus defines it as, release from the guilt or penalty of an offense.  With both of these definitions do you feel you can give or receive forgiveness? Me personally I can give it all day, but I’m one of those who feels they’re not deserving of it. I’ve made some horrible mistakes in my life, some to where some might

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Real Life

The Beat Without

by Efren Bullard, Centinela State Prison in Imperial, CA My name is Efren Bullard and I use to write to you guys about 20 years ago. I know that the youngsters back then are no longer incarcerated in your system, but I found your address and wanted to share my life story again with the youth of today because it’s important for them to hear the truth about the path their taking… ”I was arrested November 6th, 1993 at the age of 18 for two first degree count of PC. 187, plus 23 counts of Robbery. I was looking at

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