Category: Piece of the Week

by KS, Sacramento I should’ve listened to my mom and dad for all the game they gave me when I was younger. I should’ve soaked up the advice they gave me, so I didn’t have to end up here. They been to juvenile hall plenty of times as kids, in and out the system all the time. If I wasn’t stubborn, always thinking I know everything, I wouldn’t be where I am today.  If I took the advice I needed from them as a kid… they gave me really good advice, to never lead me in the wrong way or

by ARJ, San Mateo The thing I am most proud of isn’t anything I did on the outs. The thing I’m most proud of is being able to take this hard time in my life and turning it into something rather than just being mad that I got caught.  I know it might sound dumb, but I am happy that I got caught because I was on a path that would have ended with me either dead or locked up for way longer than I am going to be right now.  When I first came down I was very angry

by Gabriel, Sonoma I’m proud of not only myself but my girlfriend. I am proud of both of us because we met about six months ago and at that time, I was not my best self. I was going through a rough time where I was homeless and not in my best mental mindset. What I mean by that is I was always a mad person – maybe mostly not mad but sad because I never had a family. I never was never told or showed by someone that they loved me.  Instead of being able to express my feeling

by Elijah, San Francisco I got my heart broken a few times. I broke my own heart by being in here. As a kid, I never thought I would be here. It is hard for me to be in here. This is one of the places that I thought I would never come to but I made the wrong choice, being with the wrong people. I am a leader but I was following somebody and that is what got me in here.  It was peer pressure and he got in my head about it. I spoke to my mom about

by Adriana, San Mateo I used to think dope was the only thing worth living for, but now I see myself getting out, going to program, and living my best life clean and sober. Becoming and staying sober has been a complete lifestyle change that I will have to continue in order to save my life. Yeah, it may have not been my choice to get clean. On the streets I would have never found the strength to do so, let alone maintain sobriety. Going down and staying down helped me reevaluate my life and rethink some of the lifestyle

by Curry, San Francisco I used to be naïve and stubborn when I didn’t listen and respect my elders advice. At the time I just thought they didn’t understand me or what I was going through. Now, with experience and time, I realized that my elders always have good wisdom informed by their years of experience and learning.  I’ve also learned to never judge a book by its cover for example, although a person may not seem to have all of their stuff together they might have a way of living and being that is good for them. I know

by On The Journey To My True Self, San Diego First are my trust issues. Growing up, my dad promised me something and would never follow through with anything he promised me. Then, when I got a little older, I started dating, and boys really taught me you can’t trust anyone no matter what they say or do. My mother also gave me trust issues, always lying to me all the time.  Then, the trust issues really started to grow on me from forming a lot of new bonds and relationships. Soon, I started realizing that I was losing interest

by Queen Jai, Sonoma As I say goodbye to my past, I say hello to my future. I let the trauma go while I let the love follow me to a place called home. I don’t know where it will be, but I know by then I will be free. While I am free, my education is following right behind me.  My past life was rough, but all I know is I can’t get enough love. I get more and more by the time it hits midnight. I love sleep, but just so you know, don’t make a peep or

by JN, Sacramento There are many things that matter to me. There are many things that make me, me. One person that matters to me is my mother. She is the person that matters to me the most in this world. Although I look dead on my mom, I have many of her traits. From outgoing to hardworking and humble.  Another thing that matters the most to me is my future. I work a lot on my future every day the most I can while I’m incarcerated.  My future matters a lot to me because it will define who I

by D, Sacramento This topic made me think a little about the people in my life, who I may not openly appreciate. I am thankful for a lot of things and a lot of people, but only me and God know when it comes to it. The person who I am most thankful for is my granny. She stepped into my life as a motherly figure since I didn’t have one.  Of course, it wasn’t the same because instead of being too focused on specifically one child, she had to focus on her seven children who are adults and her