Sidney Poitier’s Quote

by Mesro Coles-El, San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA “You don’t have to become something you’re not to be better than you were. A person doesn’t have to change who he is to become better.” -Sidney Poitier I admit that I did not know how true this quote was until I got myself locked up. See, I spent a lot of time trying to fit in with people I discovered did not care about me at all. Only my closest friends told me that it was okay to be by myself, but I kept on trying to fit in

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Ed Note 27.05/06

Welcome friends to another wonderful issue of The Beat Within. This latest double issue, 27.05/06, delivers plenty of solid writings for you hungry readers. We are thrilled to get this latest magazine into your hands. We are confident you will find inspiration in the following pages. As always, we will pass the keyboard over to OT to get us through the editorial note. We do want to say how thrilled we are, to officially welcome our young writers from the Kings County Juvenile Center! Through the JC Montgomery School in Hanford, CA. A big thank you to Principal Elizabeth Norris

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Funny Moment

by Montana, San Francisco A funny moment for me would be coming to jail because no matter how much I try I always end up in jail. I know it’s a blessing in disguise to keep me alive and just be thankful to still be here and not be dead.  Even though I’m in jail right now, it could always be worse. So, you just have to be thankful for all the little things and never be ungrateful. Never be in denial to things that are keeping you safe and alive.  I don’t know how to be more aware of

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A Difficult Childhood

by ISC, Santa Clara “Difficult” is the one word I would use to describe my childhood. Growing up was difficult. It honestly was difficult for anybody growing up in the system. It was bad all until I started looking at life a different way.  The system was a different type of bad. You can make being in the system not bad by making good memories. I’ve had some good times but honestly being here is mostly not good.  Growing up was hard, especially my childhood. Even though you try to make the best of it, the people and things around

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Those Who Struggle and Persevere Always Succeed

by JV, Sacramento The man that inspires me the most, to be honest, is one that struggled, preserved, and overcame. This man was publicly shamed, shut down, and rejected by society. But this man never gave up. He went on to be remembered as one of the greatest composers in history, his name was Sergei Rachmaninoff.  Rachmaninoff was born into a family of musicians. It soon became clear that he was especially talented. At a very young age, he was sent to a prestigious Russian music school known as a conservatory. He was to be taught by the best pianists

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No Childhood

by Lil Los, James Ranch, Santa Clara From the moment I Ianded on earth I can’t remember anything from before I was a four year old, but I can tell you everything after that age. I was in the mix of so much stuff. I feel like I was never able to be a child. As a young child, I was four, I seen my own mother physically attacked by my father. I was confused and scared. I didn’t know what to do or how to help.  At five years old the cops kicked in the door and took my

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My Observations, Back in San Quentin

by Brotha Dee, San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, CA I pray that all is well with you all and the whole Beat team!? As for me, I’ve been great since I’ve returned to San Quentin. It kind of hurt my heart a bit to find that quite a few didn’t notice my absence. I was gone for a total of five weeks; three weeks in the psychiatric crisis unit at CMF (California Medical Facility) in Vacaville, and two weeks in AC before returning to San Quentin without the Covid vaccine. As I sang about my Lord and Savior,

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Long As I live

by Efren Bullard I will continue to search me and try to understand me. I sit here thinking about life all the time wondering, “Who am I?” I’m the guy who likes to sit on the beach looking at the ocean crash into itself while the moon sits over the water allowing you to see how beautiful it really is.  I’m the guy who thinks about taking a trip up to Big Bear in the winter just to look at the animals play in the snow. I’d like to watch the eagles fly as well as sit at the top

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