I live in South Central Los Angeles and experience an endless cycle of tension, waiting for something bad to happen. Gunshots ring out at random moments. Helicopters circle overhead in the dead of night and sometimes during the day. Police slowly cruise the streets staring out their squad car windows, and they make me feel…

17. 17th birthday – and this is first time he’s called me to wish me a happy birthday. 16. He called my mom and I answered. I let him know who it was. He said he had almost forgotten he had a little sister. 15. I don’t know how he’s doing or what he’s up…

You see me. You hear me. I seem strong. I say I’ll fight hard. I’ll show him wrong. I work hard. I try to stay strong. But you’re right. Inside I am weak. Inside I am holding Millions of tears. When you bring him up, It feels as if I’m Losing the strings That hold…

My father, my homeboy. I look up to him. At age 9, he lost his father. And had to go to work to help support his two sisters, seven brothers and his mother. By eleventh grade he had to drop out to work fulltime and then some. Two jobs. One of his paychecks went to…

It’s when you feel Helpless, breathless, empty I’ve felt that I’ve felt that to the point where All I saw was black Anxiety It’s when you feel like you’re drowning In an ocean of all those kept feelings They try to swallow you whole Like a whale swallows krill I have been that teeny tiny…

Second semester of sixth grade, you went in Praying every day and night that you would come home. I remember searching your name, but the results were not what I had expected. Two years later I graduated High Honor Roll just wanting to make you smile from ear to ear. Every Saturday or Sunday driving…

16- Finally quiet in the house. It’s not home, Dad would have to be there for that. Momma’s happy though. Good for her. 15- My mom gets tired of yelling all the time. She tells my dad to go and not to come back. He cries…of course he does. 14- New school. No familiar faces….

I Am His Reflection in the Mirror I am his reflection in the mirror My eyes, my lips, my nose, my hair even my moles everything I got it from my dad A dad that I love and hate at the same time. I love my dad because he gave me the best childhood any…

I Am A Fat Girl I am a fat girl at heart I wonder if bacon and tuna taste good together I hear the sound of bacon grease popping out of a pan I see my junk food stashed in my drawer I want cornbread with syrup. I am a fat girl at heart I…

Life as an Addict I didn’t realize I was an addict until I attended a P.O.P.S. meeting. P.O.P.S. stands for Pain of the Prison System. It’s a club that meets on Wednesday at Venice High. It was my first time attending and a guest speaker, Khanisha Foster, talked about her experiences living with addicted parents….