Residents were asked, “Please tell us about an important moment in your life that would help someone understand what it’s like living in your neighborhood.” Explore 50 responses below, selected at random. Which stories capture your attention? (Some responses were transcribed by youth volunteers.) To learn more about the storyteller and how they interpreted their response, click “Zoom In.”
The Tragic Story of the Young Girl
This month there was a young child about 10 that was shot and killed. She was outside playing and there was a drive by which is a regular event we’re I live.It broke my heart there was no eye witnesses. This honestly has to change what happen to that young girl was tragic.
Always stick with your family because family is going to be there for you
The most important moment in my life (I was born and raised in Belle Glade). I lost my mom in 96 by of Belle Glade, an my son and nephew lost to gun violence a few years ago. After all of that, I am still standing, I might stumble, God has carried me. He is always there. Hypertension and diabetes and heart problems went through my family, and God has been there for us. My mom lived 7 years with kidney failure with NO medication. She didn’t suffer when she died. We took care of her and my husband when…
Pride- Devonte white
My pride was a big part if my life.It was so many times where my pride played a part in my life. It has got me in trouble and out of trouble
Teacher’s Choice
When she was a dance teacher and she had to help her dancers understand all the good things that come from this small town and how it builds character.
Neighbor helping Neighbor
During the hurricane one side of our street lost power and the other side had power. We were on the side without power. Our neighbors with power came over everyday with cold water, cooked us food and invited us to use their washer and dryer anytime we needed it. It was truly neighbor helping neighbor
The Day at the Store
I Remember as a young adult about 18-20 when me and my mother were at a local store and I was referred to as “boy” by a white man. My mother didn’t react calmly at all to this she yelled at the man for his disrespectful attitude and words. At first I had no clue why my mother would react like that.As time passed by and I grew older I realized she felt him calling me a “boy”was degrading. Because our past during segregation she explained how that reference would always be degrading no mater what.
Come and See For Yourself
I was born in Everglade Experimentation station, 3 mi east of bell glade. Born in 1944. Mom was babysitter. Being in bell glades is what you make out of it. Went to school here. Need to be cautious and need to remember god is in control, especially at this time of year. With the weather. Went to school for childhood development. We have situations here, but they are like a family. We have situations , but what family doesn’t. I am 74, but this is the greatest places to live. Only left for 15 years, when she went to Pompano…
Friendly welcome to the neighborhood- Kene
When I moved into my house in my neighborhood, there were neighbors and friends of mine that already lived there that were sitting in my driveway waiting to help me unload my furniture. I didn’t ask for it, but they were just curtious enough to offer me assistance.
Doing better
Wildcat games are always the best games. One game they had was just so much fun. Sitting there peacefully watching the boys play brings so much joy. It shows that they are not wasting there time and are actually long something with their lives.
1st place
It’s hard to just think about one moment. Everyday life will show you what it’s like. The good and the bad. Boynton is a community, a team, a family. We work hard together to win together.
Giving back to the community- Kene
In my community right now in boynton, I’m a deacon at church of God in boynton, we try to help the community in any way we can, bring people closer to Christ. We have street services around the community to try to strengthen their connection with God. I try to be as helpful as I can cause not everyone is as fortunate.
The Ghetto
My House was shot at
Preparation
Going off to college, and meeting others from other neighborhood and making connections. My community prepared me for this.
Don’t be that one
Time is something that she’ll not be wasted by anyone. I was always told that I wouldn’t be nothing in life by my siblings but. I took it to far when I was hanging with the gang bangers in my neighbor hood I went on licks Went to steal cars, did a robbery
Love at first sight
Im Native American and I was in college when i met my husband. I was at lunch eating my food and some football players came and tried to take my food then my husband i did not know was going to be my husband came and defended me.
Gangs-Rickia
I grew up in a time that gangs became our family and they saved my life. When family couldn’t do for me they did. My mom was on drugs when i was in my early 20s i had a son so i had to get out of it we Destruction peace in my neighborhood
Friends are supportive
I remember my mother died. She was a well known woman around the neighborhood. The day of her funeral there was atleast 200-250 people arrived. I was so shocked. This shows how supportive the people in Boynton are.
Bullys-Devonte white
Coming up i was a big bully and I realized i hurt many people. My peoples always told me to be kind to people but i never listened. Now my son is dealing with bullies at school
Change for the better (Story #457)
An important moment in my life is when my son graduated. He used to always be in trouble and up to no good. By him graduated it shows that people can change and that Boynton is not all bad.
Hardship
Growing up in the projects poor , there wasn’t much in my community .
Family and friends
If you ever pass by the Hester you’ll always see kids playing around. The Hester center is the spot to be for kids. That shows how kids today are not always in competition but they are family.
The Church
I have 4 kids and a while ago I was being evicted from my house. I had been laid off and just started a temporary job and I just wasn’t making enough to pay all the bills. I was ashamed with my situation but spoke to my pastor and prayed about it. My church donated money to me and help me keep my house. Now I have a new good paying job and a brand new family my church.
Work for it
Buying my first house was a important moment in my life. Everything I got I had to work for it.nobody won’t give you anything around here.
Love your moms
Moving out my mom house was important to me.Things can get hard around Boynton so I had to make a way. Even though I moved out my mom still had to help me.
Hope and Vote to Change
Growing up in Pahokee, a small city in Western Palm Beach County, with nearly eight thousand residents. The people was proud and full of life. While people with jobs did not earn salaries like middle class earners today, more people had jobs and there own place to live. Today, our communities are faced with homelessness, a lack of jobs, substance abuse and violence without cause. I had a wonderful childhood. I recall having lots of friends and everyone in the community getting along without the drama of guns and gang violence. Parents could leave the kids home alone for a…
Keep moving
originally from boynton beach since 1964 then recently moved to delray 2 years. All friends live in boynton .Since the late 90 killing increased . a lot more activities to do now. going to school was bad because of the people that attended . High school was seperated in two parts . First group of kids to go to congress middle school. Played tackle football in middle school. goes to work everyday plans on retiring no time soon. Hurricane andrew hut really bad . Found out about hurricant through radio. Hurricane lasted a couple of hours. Parents from florida. Full…
My community (Story #387)
In 2011, child poverty reached record high levels, with 16.7 million children living in food insecure households, about 35% more than 2007 levels.A 2013 UNICEF report ranked the U.S. as having the second highest relative child poverty rates in the developed world.According to a 2016 study by the Urban Institute, teenagers in low income communities are often forced to join gangs, save school lunches, sell drugs or exchange sexual favors because they cannot afford food.
Canidate Supreme Court
The Supreme Court being a candidate
The Life
Me and my family moved from down here from New Jersey and the people here in this neighborhood helped me build this house for me and my 4 kids
City of Boca- Kene
Before I retired, while working for the city of Boca Raton I accidentally got into a car accident with a very expensive Mercedes. I was worried about what happened, but when the cops showed up, they told me it was okay since I’m a city official, no charges will be given, or no expenses will be charged. I thank God for giving me this opportunity, or right now my living situation wouldn’t be the same today.
More for us
The family orientated community , everyone works together in order to promote a better community. But the city might be on a economically.
There is no better place to live than Belle Glade
I have been here since 1991 and I like living in the glades because everything is so close and I know where to go if I have a problem and my neighbors i can interact with. My brother and I were sick and all the people in the glades were always there to care for me, to take me to the hospital, and to take care of us. If it weren’t for the people of glades we wouldn’t be alive. Belle glade is a perfect place for me to live because without an education I can work in the fields…
The streets
Important moment In my life was when my brother died . It made me realize that the streets of Boynton Beach are not for anyone. Things really got bad around here.
Education (Story #217)
Graduating high school was a important moment. I was the first one in my family to graduate so I feel like that’s special. Where we come from not everyone cares about school.
The officer
One time I had an altercation with a racist police officer. He pulled me over and was talking to me very aggressively and rude. He pulled me out the car although I was already complying and stepping out the car. He acted like this because he believed my car didn’t belong to me he assumed it was stolen.
Finally Home
The important moment was when I moved here 2010 from WPB. I was homeless. I had income but it was not enough to find somewhere to live. I was living with several peopele in a room but it didn’t work out and I was kicked out. So then I went to another place, paid my rent and then 3 days he lights went out. And the place was in debt and it was freezing cold and no electricity. I was so distraught, asking my lord to take me. And then I read a newsletter, call and spoke with a woman…
1963’s Boynton
Growing up In Boynton Beach in 1963 it was very tough for a young black person segregation and racism was still in affect and the civil rights were still going on
Finding me
I remember this time when one of my friends chose not to go to school everywhere they went they saw the same person by the time they got home their parents knew they had not gone to school this person informed their parents they were not in school. So this shows how people in the community look out for each other’s kids.
Don’t do the bad
Growing up outside the community I was staying out of trouble but once I went back to my old town I was in and out of trouble with friends
Moving
Growing up in my neighborhood i was the only white kid there but i tried so hard to fit in. I would just go with the flow of doing what the others did. I couldn’t play football at all and i couldn’t play basketball but that’s something everyone was great at but i was a great runner and when we raced everyone wanted to be on my team or wanted me to be on there’s and it made me feel great
Because of what I look like
I have been stopped by a cop just for walking one day. He stopped got out the car and asked where I was headed. I responded in a polite manner. He continued to watch me and later started to follow me until I went into the store I was headed to. I felt some type of way about this.
Life
Important moment in life was getting out of jail. I went to jail when I was younger doing stupid things around the neighborhood. When I look back on it I could of avoided it.
City of Delray
Well growing up in Delray isn’t the same how it is today less violence how it was back in my day 1960 street gangs , killings , drug debate
My life (Story #98)
Many of them have worked for decades examining poverty-related issues—from hiring discrimination to segregation in housing and education, criminal justice reform to immigration, deep poverty to homelessness. Even though they had devoted their lives to fighting poverty, some of the participants asked whether their work made any difference at all.
Sports (Story #452)
Getting into sports was important in my life. It’s wasn’t that many options for me because I didn’t want to be a doctor or anything. So I played sports to keep me off the streets.
Things was simple
When I was little times were easy. Wasn’t much crime and this was claim. But these days these kids are around here killing each other.
My community (Story #553)
Living in a poor neighborhood can change everything , Among the younger generation, the same number of black children continued to grow up in the very poorest neighborhoodsNothing had changed.Many people live in a bad neighborhood to save money but many people live in bad neighborhoods because they don’t want to let go of the past yet
B-out day
B-out day, where there was a local football player who threw a event for the community there were bounce houses food and live music all across from the set
Community get together (Story #612)
Afro Arts
Value -Rickia
I mean pretty much what my sister said our family was very loving we had everything we needed when we were struggling we didn’t even notice my family with a great family and we stuck together through everything we kept our business out of the streets
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