Category: The Beat Without

by Giggs I remember telling myself I would never come back, I kept my word for the next seven years. It didn’t take too long for the fog to lift up out of my head, wanting back all I had and realizing how much I should’ve been grateful for a bit late… I stressed for the longest how much I just wanted to get back to how and where I was, not materialistically or tangibly. Just me, the person I had become, learning to love, to live. To embrace life as it comes. But the more it is the more I

by Phong Dang BANG, BANG, BANG!!!  With no regard for human life I recklessly shot four times into a group of my rivals and Phung Thanh Nguyen is lying bloody on the floor. I wake up startled as the reality of what I have done hit me! I open my eyes and I’m back in my tiny cell sweating from the nightmare that I had caused.  Serving twenty-three years into my incarceration I try to gain insight into why I became this monster. And I start to reflect… I was born on January 24, 1975, in Saigon, the capitol of Vietnam. 

by Eddie “Edito” DeWeaver Witnessing my father experience negative contact with law enforcement helped to form the false belief system of a fourteen- year-old, “that nothing I could do would change the world.” At that time, I had no idea how far I was away from the truth. Now sitting in this prison cell, I can say that I did change the world…for the bad. Fortunately, my story continues to get better, as I began to rst take responsibility for my past, and also, to believe in my power to impact the future…for the good. When it comes to voting,

by Dortell Williams Some time ago, I got a call to the dentist’s of ce. I wasn’t expecting a call; I had no problems or complaints. But when staff calls, you know you gotta go check it out. So I went in there and there they were: the dentist and two assistants. Nothing unusual about that. The odd thing was that they were all smiling- and looking at me! Now you know that’s weird, at least on this side of the wall. To be polite, I smiled likewise. The shorter nurse with glasses said I looked confused, but maintained her

by Xiomara Gonzalez A person doesn’t realize that no matter what it is that they’re going through, “this too shall pass.” I didn’t see things this way for a long time. That is, until one time at about three in the morning, I woke up to a noise I’ve never heard before. I listened and realized someone somewhere nearby was crying. This cry was that of a wounded animal. It sounded so sad, my heart sank and broke into a million little pieces. She didn’t know this, but for the whole time she cried, I sat there silently and just

by Michael Webb Back in the early 1970’s I watched my favorite TV show Emergency. As a child I dreamed of becoming a fireman just like the firemen on Emergency. Every time the bell would ring and the big red shining engine fifty-one would leave the station on a run, I would imitate it with my firetruck. Also, I pictured myself going to rescue a stranded person or putting out a fire. As I grew older the innocence I once had as a child became lost. That was when my neighborhood became heavenly infested with drug dealers and violent gang

by Dortell Williams As I sat in my concrete cage, looking at the massive failure I’ve made of my life, I’ve wondered: “What is the secret to success?” What does it take to be successful? Over time, I came to recognize that this is where history comes into play. I’m not talking about going back centuries, though you can if you want. But just recent history is good enough. For instance, to see how failure occurs, all I needed was to look at myself: Hanging with the wrong crowd, not listening to sound advice, being sel sh and greedy. All

by Michael Mackey This program (The Beat Within) has changed my life by giving me the feedback and courage to open up about my problems, to seek help, understand things that I cannot gure out on my own, meet new friends (good friends), and to be heard by many. I didn’t really open up to people, I didn’t let people know the real me, when I wanted to be heard or understood, no one ever helped or listened to what I had to say. And those who did hear what I had to say twisted my words and took advantage

by Johnny Rodriguez May this letter be well received in a few years. I am humbly proud to return praying my letter and motivational poem touches your hearts and opens you up to the sobering facts of life. In December of 2013, almost three years ago, I lost a new, yet dear, friend, Alicia. At only fourteen she had been dealing with hardship of a broken home, gangs, and school. She was mercilessly gunned down in the drug and gang infested streets of Compton, California, before even having had the chance to mature out of that wayward life. Within the time

by James R. Metters Jr. When I was free on the streets I had a problem with people telling me what was right. I hustled in front of churches, disrespected evangelists, and mocked my elders. But now, irony had me in a strong headlock; I wanted to listen. This was a strange mental shift for me and my home boys who were used to me acting a fool. And when I really switched up a lot of the homies started hating. “Eh Jay, what’s up baby boy…where you going?” “I’m on my way to chapel.” I answered. “Is that right –