-SK, San Mateo The greatest sacrifice that I did was leaving my family for more than two years without my presence and being there for them to help. My family was always there for me when I needed them and they always loved me. I never realized how much they liked and loved me. Maybe I was focusing on the negative energy they gave me and all the beating my parents gave me. I was mad, so I didn’t listen to anything they said to me and told myself that I make my own choices. I now realize how much
Continue ReadingHe Wanted the Best for Me
-Scythe Something about David is that he really wanted the best for me. David was one reason why I didn’t come back here for a long time. I love the way he puts things together and the way he says things. He was one of my best friends while I was in here. I was always working forward to Wednesdays so I can come to The Beat Within.
Continue ReadingThe Answer in Front of Me
-Samuel “Shady” Cruz The question has never been “Why?” because the answer has always been there in front of me. I need you to please sit there and hear me out one last time. This will never be spoken again. I just need to let it all out once and for all. Part of my story begins at the age of seven. After my mother abandoned me and left me in the middle of the street all balled up crying, begging for her to come back, she did not! At that moment of my life, Sammy stopped existing. It became
Continue ReadingThinking About Dave and The Beat Within
-Freddy “Mr. Positivity” Huante Jr I think about David and coming to The Beat Within. I am keeping up my personal dedication to keep pushing us to help kids in the system; to help them make better decisions and succeed in life. I don’t want to see the youth come down this path and continuing to grow as a human being. My personal goal in life is to change and it’s all because of someone named David. I was blessed to spend time with David and I am going to continue to keep David’s legacy and what he left behind…
Continue Reading
Volume 29.29/30
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 29.29/30
Greetings to our Beat writers, readers, and community members. We’re thrilled as always to bring you our latest publication of The Beat Within. Every other week when our issue goes to print, we’re in awe of the writing and testimony that comes forth from each person we have the privilege to publish in our pages. This issue brings lots of great writing on learning to compromise, how each of us defines independence, where we’re from, and paying attention — among so much more! Before we dive into our contributors’ wonderful pieces, we turn our editorial note over to four of
Continue ReadingEverybody Needs Love
-TW, Sacramento Love is good and bad. When I hear the word love, it means being in love can have many positive physiological effects on our daily lives. It can also be the harbinger of death and despair. Love can make someone kill themselves or other people when they’re in love with him or her, and for their family members. If someone breaks up with her or him, or a family member dies then they kill themselves over it. Love is good because everybody needs love in life. Love looks like the person who is always there for you no
Continue ReadingSlowing Down
-E, Sonoma Paying attention to what people say, body language, and their overall behavior — there is much to pay attention to in this world. Sometimes we’re moving too fast and we really need to slow life down in order to appreciate our blessings and enjoy the moments we have. It’s easy to get caught up in thinking about the future or sulking in the past, but this will only trap you in this mindset. Regardless if you are incarcerated, you need to pay attention to your life, to others you love, and new people you meet. Find something to
Continue ReadingConfronting Criminal Thinking
-Johnny Rodriguez Confronting criminal thinking takes an honest person to be real with themselves. Once you understand how to manage denial to get to the core of where it all began, then can you potentially help yourself. Some individuals do not want anyone to know about their personal issues and it’s perfectly normal and okay. It’s so important that you first protect yourself by learning how to healthily think out what you normalized. Talk to yourself what you normalized, and write out to yourself what you normalized while growing up even though you do not want to have family members
Continue ReadingMy Thoughts on Music
-Kelon Williams Under the warm sun, as the moisture from the ocean’s breath pacifies the hue of my skin, I swing ever so rhythmically like a Baroque era violin crescendo, of which I have yet to know. Music has been my first love, when love was just a resonating hum from the throat of her that cradles me in her arms. How sweet that melody! That part of me the conductor’s wand ignites instantly; unconsciously, when perceiving the tune, I am in the the loom of that full scale womb. I think that even the true voices of the Creator
Continue Reading