Standouts - The Beat Within

TheBeatWithin.org
Page 45
My House and My Girlfriend
A safe place for me is my house or being with my girlfriend talking
about my problems with her instead of being at my hood in danger
that I get shot or stabbed. Also because I’m not out there doing
stupid things that are going to get me locked up. That’s the safest
place is I think. Also my varrio is safe to me. When I’m with my lady
and my homies
-Blacky
From The Beat: It’s important to have a place where you can feel safe.
It sounds like your girlfriend has a good influence on you. Is there
anything you can do yourself to stay out of trouble? What do you
think?
Goals
My New Year’s resolution is to not come back to this place. I am
also going to complete my house arrest program. I am going back to
school and I am going to find a part time job so that I can help out
my mom and buy my babe some clothes and things he needs. Well
that is my New Year’s resolution.
-Juana
From The Beat: Great job creating a solid list of resolutions. How will
you make sure that you carry these out? What motivates you to want
to accomplish these things?
A Better Life
My New Year’s resolution is when I get out I want to change and
make my life better for my family. And when I go to my group home
I want to finish my programs and go home. That’s my New Year’s
resolution.
-Adrian
From The Beat: That’s a great resolution, Adrian, and we really hope
everything works out. What specifically are you going to do to change
so that you can have a better life for you and your family?
New Years Resolution
My New Year’s resolution is not to get locked up anymore when I get
out and stay out of trouble. That was my last year’s resolution but I
didn’t try hard enough to do it. I was always getting drunk and high
so that led me to getting into trouble with the cops sometimes. This
time I’m going to stay away from alcohol and drugs so I don’t get in
trouble with the law anymore.
-Miguel
From The Beat: That sounds like a good resolution. Do you have
concrete plans on how to resist the craving for alcohol and drugs? Tell
us more.
Valentine’s Day
What’s up, Beat? This is Shaggy coming to you from the hall. I’ll tell
you a story of when I got saved on Valentine’s Day. We were outside
of my apartment chillin’, puffin’ on some trees. Then out of nowhere
we heard gunshots. There were six people there and nobody moved
‘cause we didn’t see who was shooting.
Then my cousin saw who it was and started running. Then
everybody started to run. I ran inside my apartment. While I was
running, I looked back and saw my cousin get shot and collapse. He
got up and went to his house and collapsed again in the living room.
His eyes were rolling back in his head and blood started to come out
his mouth.
Next thing I knew the ambulance was there and took him to the
hospital. Thankfully he was back in his house a week later and safe.
-Smokinitus
From The Beat: You must be very thankful that your cousin was okay.
Thank you for sharing this experience with us. We hope you and your
family can get out of this cycle of violence.
Standouts Santa Clara County Volume 17.01/02
Back On Track
My New Year’s resolution is to get back on track and start training
for football for the off-season and get my grades back up. I especially
want to stay out of trouble and concentrate on sports and school.
Those are my resolutions for the year of 2012.
-Alex
From The Beat: Those are great resolutions, Alex. We hope you can stay
focused on school and football and have an amazing 2012!
A New Life
My New Year’s resolution is to be with my family and start a new
life, ‘cause the one I’m living right now is rough and hard. Also, to
get a girl and spend time together so I can keep my mind off doing
wrong. I’m going to have a new life with happiness and smiles on my
parents faces; a life with no drugs and dirty money.
-Mouinitus
From The Beat: Those are ambitious resolutions for 2012, but great
goals to have. Keep focused on making yourself and your family happy
and we’re sure your year will be a better one.
A Birthday Inside
I just had my sixteenth birthday in here. My New Year’s resolution
is to stay out of juvenile hall for good so that I won’t spend another
birthday or holiday locked up. Another New Year’s resolution I have
is to go to school steadily, get a job and be independent. I want to
keep myself busy so that I can avoid coming back to this place.
-Sienna
From The Beat: It’s great that you have some concrete goals set for the
New Year. In what other ways are you going to keep yourself busy?
Mommy To Be
It’s the beginning of the month and I get out in a few more weeks.
I’m so happy because I’m going to be a mom soon. I want to start
going to school and get a job so that I can buy my baby anything and
everything. I want to be a good mother and stay by my kid’s side like
my mom and grandma did.
-Precious
From The Beat: It is great that you have your mother and grandmother
as role models in parenting. What type of job are you looking to get?
What are some specific things you will do to be a good mother?
Close Call
Well, I just want to talk about one time in my life I could’ve been
done. My life could’ve ended when I got shot in the leg. Out of those
twelve bullets, one hit me. When they were shooting at me they were
not far away from me. They were so close by that they could’ve shot
me in my dome and I would’ve been done. So what I think is that God
does exist and he didn’t want me dead. That’s all for now.
-Blade
From The Beat: Wow, what an intense experience. Tell us more. Do you
feel like you were given a second chance? Are there changes you can
make so you don’t find yourself in this situation again?
New Year’s Resolution
Q-vole? This is Mailto. Well, Beat my New Year’s resolution is to do
good in my group home. I already messed up the ranch, so it’s time
to finish my program that’s going to come up. Hopefully I stay in
San Jose and they don’t send me to Fresno. Well, I hope everything
goes well.
-Mailto
From The Beat: We wish you lots of luck in keeping your resolution for
2012! We know you can do well in your program and hopefully get to
stay in your hometown.