by Yoshua, San Mateo If I only had six words to give advice to give my ten-year-old self it would be “Always stay on your ten toes.” Obviously I’d say way more than just that but since you guys asked for a six word phrase that was it. The reason why I chose those words was so he could be more aware of his surroundings. And by that I mean to know friends aren’t always friends, to know friends could be fake, backstabbers, and the list could go forever. Since I’ve never had any family except my mom I saw
Continue ReadingYear: 2021
My Passion
by Brian, Santa Clara I’m going to write about this week’s topic, words from the wise, quote of the week, and being here in juvie. I get labeled as some kind of criminal but in reality in the outs it’s something different. In the outs I play in a band. I play Corridos to all my raza that slaps Mex music. The instrument I play is the tuba. It’s my passion since I was fourteen years of age. It’s funny how people here see me as a bad person. I mean, I did do some wrong, but you can always
Continue ReadingBrave Soul
by Michael Mackey, San Quentin State Prison, CA To me being brave means David and Goliath, standing up for something or someone you believe in. Who comes to mind when I hear this word, that could be a few people but the best person I can share with you all today is me. I am the most brave person I know because I stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves. I stand up for myself at times, but I put others first before me. Well, I used to do that all the time, blindly, and didn’t even
Continue ReadingLiving With A Mental Illness
by Chad Fitzpatrick, Bayport, Minnesota This is about my life and observation of it and changes as I change. I would like to share with you what living with a mental illness is like and how I’ve learned to manage it. Every mental illness is different because every person is different. There is no easy cures or treatments but there are many different tools available to us so we can learn how to manage and survive living with a mental illness. It is us to us to figure out how to manage our own individual mental illness, which at times
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Volume 26.05/06
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 26.05/06
Greetings friends of The Beat Within! Welcome to yet another fabulous double issue, 26.0506. This latest issue is full of wonderful surprises. We love the loyalty you many contributors share in each issue, if you are writing us from the free world, during one of our weekly workshops, or simply reaching out with an unsolicited piece of writing and a desire to connect. You are truly appreciated. With COVID still challenging us all to be cautious with our lives and to do things from a distance, yet, thanks to all our great colleagues and partners, The Beat Within goes
Continue ReadingI Now Know Better
by AH, Sacramento When I find someone not being truthful to me, I keep my distance, or I confront them about it. And I don’t trust them anymore, so our relationship would not be the same as before. I remember a time when someone was not honest, and they lost my trust. It was a few days before I got arrested. I ran away from a very good home because of her, and I put my life in her hands. She told me that she was gonna take care of me and we was gonna be making money together. I
Continue ReadingForgiving
by Faith, San Mateo To forgive can be very different to a lot of people. Someone can forgive but still feel angry or bad about the situation, and someone can forgive and let go of the situation. For different people forgiving can be difficult, and sometimes, they will debate on forgiving, but for other people it seems like it comes naturally, and they don’t mind forgiving. To me forgiving is to kind of stop holding a grudge or to let go in some situations, and in some way. I don’t forgive people often cause sometimes I be stubborn. There is
Continue ReadingSmile
by Josue I like to think that the reason I am in nursing school is so that I will be able to change individuals lives on a daily basis. I was not always in this position that I am in now, a grade A nursing student from San Francisco. I was the product of the old colorful Mission District. The loud kickbacks, drinking, and trouble finding streets. I think about this fact as I prepare for my Fundamentals in Nursing class. This is the semester where I find myself getting prepared for my clinical rotations. No one knows my past,
Continue ReadingFree At Last
by Armando Gonzalez, San Quentin State Prison, CA Today is bright and sunny, with a crisp chill in the air. It’s about ten in the morning, and I’ve been doing push-ups, pull-ups, and dips for about forty-five minutes. One of the fellas who’s recently been let out of the SHU (Security Housing Unit) comes by and asks, “Hey bro, you got a minute?” “Yeah, what’s up?” He says, “let’s spin some laps.” As we start to walk around the track, he asks, “Hey, about a year ago, did you put in a request to go Christian?” I say, “Yes.” He
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