-Uz, San Francisco Left behind, behind these walls, nowhere to go with a lot to leave behind. Family, kids, opportunities. You see there’s a lot you don’t appreciate when you are free. Actually, let me rephrase. Value the things around you, like your freedom and the people who care for you and the things you enjoy until you don’t got it anymore. Think before you act. Think before you move because then you can end up just like everyone else who can’t because it was too late. Then you’ll be left behind. Missed, forgotten, and a place that can break
Continue ReadingWords of Positivity
-Mark Peacock, Vacaville, CA Glad to hear that the spirit is still alive, and I am very grateful that there are like minded brothers and sisters out there! I wasn’t born until 1962, so I missed out on everything that had happened back then. I had an older brother who grew up then, and he would come home and talk about how things used to be in those days. Even though they were out of style in the seventies, he would often wear striped bell bottoms and leather sandals. I never asked if they were Birkenstocks or not. He always
Continue ReadingLearn to Love Yourself
-Josiah, California Medical Facility in Vacaville, CA “You don’t have to be a product of your environment. You can be what you want to be.” Lisa Ling I was raised in an environment filled with gangs, violence, drugs, alcohol and unhealthy relationships. My whole life I felt I was destined to be a part of my hood. When I was growing up and putting in work, I felt like this was what I was destined for. I felt like I wanted to die for this because I was brainwashed to believe. But never was I told, “You have a chance
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Volume 29.43/44
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 29.43/44
Welcome to our brilliant community near and far! The Beat Within is back with another double-dose edition of personal stories, poems, self-reflections, great wisdom, and invaluable insight. The weather may be cooling down but The Beat is going strong as ever, fueled the light and fire within each one of us. We turn our editorial page over to our longtime friend and colleague, Omar Turcios to take us on a journey of his personal history. Please join us in giving Omar our full attention! It’s OT once again tasked with giving you guys the positive message of the week.
Continue ReadingBack to the Future
-Jason, San Francisco I think that if I was living in a different era, it would be one thousand years in the future. I would choose that time period because we would be able to live after all the wars have gone down. We would get a better understanding of where we stand in the universe. I feel like it’s important to get that what is holding us back is our thought process as well as the moral compass. I feel like in the future, we would surpass all the diseases such as cancer and learn more about how powerful
Continue ReadingBeing in Control
-Hopeful, Yolo I miss being free and just being in control of my life. Being locked up in this facility is really difficult. I have a journal I write in so that when I’m free, I’ll read it and remember how hard it was not being in control of anything. I miss being with my parents and just being able to drive my car. I’ve been locked up five times already, and this time being the hardest. I hate not being able to be on my phone and eat fast food. I miss driving around and jamming my music. It’s
Continue ReadingThere Are People Who Love You
-IR, Albuquerque I miss my family. I miss my sister. I wish I could just see her and talk to her just one more time. I want a relationship with my mother. Oh, why can’t you just put some effort and see me? I miss my dad. He needs to get out so he can visit me, and I can call him. I miss my brothers. I want to understand why they can’t give you guys a second chance. I want to see that woman who knows how to calm me down and make me happy and makes me laugh,
Continue ReadingSpiritual Freedom
-James Taylor, Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in Milton, FL This poem is written to encourage and inspire others in troubling times. This poem details my life and how I used God to overcome obstacles. My hope is that you the reader will grow a more intimate relationship with God after reading this poem. I pray that you will be able to identify the snares of the devil and resist his wicked ways: “They answered him, we are Abraham’s descendants, and we have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” (John 8:33) When
Continue ReadingLove Yourself
-John Sherwood, Red Onion State Prison in Pound, VA Young princes and young queens, you are so much more than any struggle you’ve gone through. You are so much more than the difficult circumstance that you are dealing with. You got to believe in yourself. Even when people that are supposed to love and provide for you are unable to help you, in the way you may need or desire them to, it doesn’t lessen your worth. There are many people in society that are trying to help you. Most importantly, you have to help yourself! You got to admit
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