Category: Piece of the Week

by Alan, Sonoma  A lot of people are scared or afraid to take risks and do things that they think they can’t accomplish. They have a fear pushing them back from being successful and they give up on their dreams.  They don’t realize that in order to be successful and they give up on their dreams. They don’t realize that in order to be successful, you need to take risks to learn something new.  Each day you live is full of risks, whether it’s driving to work, or getting a new job. Or learning a new sport. You just don’t

by T, Sacramento I enjoy being around all my family members – uncles, cousins, grandparents, and all. Even friends ‘cause they all help me when I’m down and boost my spirit up. Even in the situation I’m in right now.  They visit me, write me, send pictures, put money on the phone, and don’t let it run out. Without them, I feel like I would be empty on the inside. I’d have a nasty attitude every day.  But when I was younger, we used to spend every holiday together – Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthday parties, and all. Even trick or treating

by B, Sacramento I know what it feels like to be rejected. I feel like I’m nobody. I’m living and alive, but I feel invisible. And when I feel like that, I think why does everybody do that, I never did nothing to them before.  It’s not that it’s that they don’t like you. And they hate on everything you. I been rejected so many time. I stay to myself. Nobody bothers me. I like being that way so I can figure out all my thoughts when they seem like I’m invisible.  I stay that way because every time you

by JO, Yolo You ever turn cold because you only feelin’ hopelessHad so many patnas now I’m wondering where they all wentThey love always counterfeitEverybody said they know me now, they don’t cause I’m callin’ emYou ever looked yo’ mama in the eyes her tears can’t stop fallingSending letters through the mail and none coming back to meMy own family got no loyalty because what I’ve doneThey think they deserve apologiesThey don’t want me in society I’m a monster in the’ eyesI’m gettin’ life and it’s a probabilityMy chance of freedom like a ninja winning lotteriesI’m the ninja who be

by Nescia, Los Angeles I’m Nescia, son!Well known savage!Gangbanging is my passion!I wasn’t always like this,my daddy wasn’t around,he was in and out of prison.My brothers were always stuckin their troublesome ways.My momma was always busy,so I would post up on the block.I wanted to be just as gangster as my brothers,so I started banging.I went through a lot of pain till this day but,the barrio was always there for me somehow.People think we have it good but we don’t,deep down inside we are not okay.Gangbanging is not always the way.Homies aren’t loyal and the hood isn’t royal.Sooner or later

by DS, Missoula, Montana Hey there ten-year-old, I am just going to start this off by saying one thing you should learn right now: you need to stop and think before you do something, and you need to stay out of trouble because where I am is not where you want to be.  I would also like to add that you need to watch who you hang out with and who will and will not be getting in trouble, because all these little bits of trouble that you get into make a tumbleweed effect, and it starts to grow and

by JL, Sacramento Together, I feel we can do a lot of things. I feel if we could come together as one, or as groups who want to do good, we can change the world. I feel that all people could work together and be something great.  We could see what we all have in common to bring us more together. I feel like it’s not a lot of actual racism, but a lot of racially biased people. People believe they are better than a race because the color of their skin, the amount of money they have, their looks,

by AS, Sacramento “My mama always used to tell me, ‘if you can’t find something to live for, you best find something to die for.’” -Tupac Shakur What I think of this week’s quote is I believe in what he says. My mom always told me, “Boy, you got to go find a job.” I never wanted to get a job. I wanted to be out, smoking with my friends, going to parties, trynna look for something to do.  Even hang out with girls. I never wanted to take responsibility with my life. I just wanted to have fun. I

by KH, Sacramento My temper is like no other because I never could be able to control myself at the right time. I would never be able to speak on my feelings, and when I could, or did, I would still shut down, because I also had a busy mother.  I would make it harder on myself by not telling her how I really felt, and that’s a somewhat start as in why. My friends at school were the two girls I grew up with and always felt insecure about myself, because I would play “boy games” as in soccer,

by Cecilia, San Mateo I have three inspiring people in my life, my mom, my aunt, and my grandma. My grandma has always been inspiring to me. When I was little she would tell me all kinds of stories about when she was little. My grandma was raised in Campeche, Mexico. When she was young her mom never allowed her to go to school. She would tell my grandma “la escuela para los ricos” (school is for the rich). My grandma’s older sister was my mom’s biological mother. My grandma had three sisters and a brother. Two of her sisters