by Waiting To Be Given A Chance, Alameda The greatest test life has ever put me though was the system, this institution. I’ve dealt with a lot of things growing up as a black boy in this place we call “life.” I’ve lost friends, family members and myself at times. I was suffering with depression at a point in my life. At times I still do, but it was nothing like becoming a part of the “system.” I first went to jail in July of 2021. I came to jail on one count of armed robbery and gun charge and
Continue ReadingYear: 2022
Hope For a Better Life Every Day
by Jeremiah, Santa Clara I hope for a better life every day, hope my life would change and the people in my life would appreciate me for the lifestyle I live. It’s not my fault I became who I am. I had to raise myself, learn the hard way and take care of my siblings. Life is hard and every day I hope life gets better. I hope I can separate myself from negativity instead of being a part of it. I want to be able to have a happy life with my baby girl, stop living in a fake
Continue ReadingOn Cheating The Infidelity Insurrection
by Shon Pernice, Moberly Correctional Center in Moberly, Missouri Cheating happens for a variety of self-centered excuses. Whether it is for revenge, loneliness, a high sex drive or being “unhappy,” infidelity boils down to an internal issue with the male ego: a low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence. I may be breaking some absurd guy code, however, I am guilty of being a chronic cheater during my marriage. My wife is deceased and I cannot look her in the eye, apologize, and attempt restitution. Furthermore, if I am able to bring solace to another woman who has suffered from this
Continue ReadingAlter Ego
by Michael Sperling, San Quentin State Prison, CA My father mentally, physically, and emotionally abused me as a kid. He stripped me of my innocence and took my childhood away from me. He broke me as a child. It was so bad that I literally had to invent an alter ego to protect myself. I did this to avoid dealing with that child whom was a broken victim. This alter-ego that I created was going to be no joke! I’m going to be someone you don’t want to mess with. I wasn’t going to be anyone’s victim anymore. So, I
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Volume 27.17/18
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 27.17/18
Greetings friends! Welcome to our latest double issue, 27.17/18, of writing and art from inside the system and beyond. There is plenty of solid content to read and find inspiration from, but before we get there, let’s make sure we hear from the one and only OT, as he leads us off with this latest editorial note. Well, if you checked out the previous issue, I was letting off some steam and letting y’all know that I was going through some thangs. The reason why I did that, was to show y’all that we’re all human. Many of you ask
Continue ReadingFools
by Rony, San Jose, CA “It’s easier to fool people then to convince them that they’ve been fooled.” -Samuel Clemens I get the sense that this quote is more like people not accepting the truth and or are too stubborn to the facts. This is a characteristic I do not tolerate. When I tell someone who I think they really are they tend to get defensive. When you can see through and see them for what they really are they get insecure. People don’t like to succumb to the fact they are hiding behind a mask fooling themselves thinking they
Continue ReadingA Funny Moment
by Elian, Marin A week before I got arrested I was at my house at around 11 pm. Three of my friends texted me to ask if they could come over. I said yes, so about thirty minutes later, they knocked on my door. They brought me Takis and soda and were being hella loud. One of my homies was playing on my PC, and the rest of us were live on Instagram. Every time my homie died in the game, he screamed loudly, and the rest of us were loud too. After, we made some food, and we were
Continue ReadingThree Words That Describe Me
by Halo, San Francisco There are many words to describe me and people consider me to be an interesting person so one word that describes me is funny. A lot of people, well basically everybody, I mean their first impression of me are almost always funny because how easy I can make people laugh, how efficient my jokes and comebacks are, and how quick I think of things. Another word that describes me is smart. Everybody who really knows me knows I’m smart as hell and I believe knowledge is key so I like to get as much knowledge as
Continue ReadingMom Caught Me Multiple Times
by T, Sacramento One time when I was thirteen or fourteen, my mom caught me smoking in the house with my sister. She was mad. She was yelling for about an hour about how I want to be so grown and how I don’t listen to a thing she says. Then she started talking about how I don’t go to school and I’m failing. The whole situation turned into me not going to school and how I think I’m grown. She forgot that she caught me smoking and was mad that I “wanted to be grown.” Another time I caught a
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