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.”
Made it happen
My home situation was slightly better than average when compared to the typical ghetto home life.My mom didn’t always work, but she took temporary work when she could and I never went hungry.
Old school
The police said he grew up in clewston he said it was great they helped one another when you get into trouble from with your neighbor you get in trouble at home
poor decisions.
one important memory in my life was when i my neighborhood was having robbery all over the place and no one was spared. it took months to fi d the culprit and shortly after me and my family moved and now we live here in.
Love and cherish
I have a great neighborhood. Recently when I lost my wife everyone came together and took care of me for months. I had been married for 52 years and they knew how important she is to me.
My legacy- Rickia
I raised 6 boys into men and 4 girls into women. I currently have 22 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. I raised them off a salary of being a gardener during a time when it was very difficult to be anything. I now have Doctors , Lawyers and Business Owners
Much Better
Better to live here from where I lived. Better opportunities in the community.
Changes from the past to present
From the past to right now the family values have changed. Back then the community raised us. People used to watch the kids. Athletics have decreased.
Basketball- Devonte white
I believe basketball was a important moment for me . It changed my life so many ways. It taught me things i can also use in life
Hard work (Story #129)
Important moment was getting my first car. That opened up my world and got me more opportunities. I was able to go to a different school which was better than the one the kids went to and I found a job. I did all this before I graduated high school
Helping earth other out
I grew up with my grandparents they was very old so they didn’t have much control of my brothers and I. We grew up not having much we had to work with what we got.
The break in -Rickia
Well when i was younger our house would always get broken into we would come home and our house would be trashed we spent all night trying to clean it and the police never really did anything about it they always came late
Kitalicious
I came to this town in 7th grade from Riviera. I meshed better with the kids here than in Rivera. There was a big difference from school to school. If iI had stayed in Rivera I do not think that I would be the same person I am today. I know myself better because I moved here.
Hard times
Growing up in Boynton Beach wasn’t so easy. I been on my own since 16 years old. I have had me ups and downs but I still push through.
The Rough Neighborhood
I lived in a very rough neighborhood. There were often shootings and police officers knocking on doors to ask questions. Many times everyone seen the scene but would never speak on it. There was at least 3-7 shootings in a month. Till this day the neighborhood is the same.
Good community (Story #458)
I agree with the previous person. You can’t base how the neighborhood is off of one moment. Not all moments are good and not all of them are bad. From the Boynton I know we have our ups and downs but we will always be a good community.
America
Learning English was important to me .I had to learn and learn fast cause it’s a lot going on around boynton. I came to America when I was 17 and things was different.
Overturn of Florida- Kene
For my community, and the community it self in Delray, it still has a boundary. Basically, Delray is for Delray. For the community wise I don’t feel Delray does anything for the community. We have a community here in Delray, but not that much aid in it. I feel the city more or less focuses on the east rich side of the community, but not the poor west side. Just doesn’t make sense. Business corporates are pushing us for their construction projects. Back then when I was being raised Delray used to be as far as Boca, but history never…
LOVE (Story #632)
GROWING UP WAS EVERYTHING I HAD THE NICEST HELPFUL PARENTS THEY GAVE AND HELP ME
Clean up the streets
What it’s like living in my neighborhood.Well you have 10th ave where the young boys sell drugs and the park where we have our little league football. Things bad around here no structure at all. Hopefully we can come together one day and clean up the streets .
Don’t do things
Growing up in my neighbor hood was bad because it was guns bullets on the floor every morning I was in this small part of town i stayed on cherry hill (that’s what they call the street) it was bad. My mom got tired of it. I wouldn’t want kids doing things they not supposed to be doing
Tour de Oakmont
My son learned how to bike recently. They Tour de France was taking place, which motivated him to try once again. We live at the end of a cul de sac and I ran around with him, holding his bike seat, as he peddled and worked to find his balance. Without planning it, he took off down the street, unassisted with me running behind him. That afternoon, we probably covered close to three miles – he peddled and navigated the street to the main road and down to the park while I ran along side or way behind yelling for…
Beatrice Elma
How the violence’s has increased, and the Judges live in a different world to us, plus wars are still ongoing just to please a few, very worried for our young people and grandchildren what lay’s ahead for them.Plus the lack of justices to those who have sex with children, that’s a no go zone for me.
Weight
Growing up was not so hard but I went through the struggle with my family and friends .
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.
Still Growing
All parents were the mother of all of the children when I was growing up
Sports (Story #181)
Playing sports was a important moment in my life.It kept me off the streets and focused on something. Most of my friends was in the streets and now they dead or in jail .
Becoming a man- Devonte white
Important moment in my life was just becoming a man. I had to learn to do for my self in these streets.
The Family Way
Great support system, everyone treats each other like family.
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.
Another chance.
First came 5/9/2014 out of prison. (14 months) Difficult to find place to live because of past offenses. Matthew 25 ministries provided access to housing in sugar cane field. Started coming to United Methodist Church. Was surprised because people welcomed me. Difficult to find employment, but people let me into their lives and hired me for yard work. People in this community are different than any other community because they understand that people make mistakes. The Glades Initiative is helping turn my life around. People here accept us as who we are and extend friendship out. People understand that change…
Bullied- Rickia
I was about 13 years old. I began to be bullied by the kids in my neighbor hood because my mom white and my father was black. What I didn’t know the was the my family was also being bullied too. I can still hear my father say to me “Son they talked about Jesus, the greatest man that walked the earth what makes you think they will not talk about you
Always remeber
Some people try to turn back their odometers not me I want people to know why I look this way . I’ve traveled a long way and many of the roads weren’t paved . First you forget the names than you forget the faces . Living in my neighborhood was a good thing for me met nice people
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.
Family
I used to work in the local corner store. People were also nice to me. We were like family. I would see the same people everyday and we would bond in the course of 5 minutes of them being there.
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
Spooky
Dangerous
New beginning- Kene
Well I’m originally from Columbia, came over when I was 8 years old, I didn’t know anybody, didn’t know English. It’s important to know English, and finding mindful resources. Also I’ve delivered toys to unfortunate families to give them toys. Gave homeless people clothes around winter to stay warm.
The day i brought my neighborhood together-Nelcael Joseph
The most important time in my life was when i was able to bring my family together along with my whole community not only was it done by someone in my community but by a female me myself France Haven was able to set up a family fun day within my neighborhood to bring everyone together.
How I became me
Going to College Changed my life.
Support (Story #618)
Community get together
Life in Pahokee
The most important moment in my life were having my children. The hospital is now closed and it has really effected our community. We now have to drive to Belle Glade for healthcare. I came here in November 1970, married here in 1974. The roads on the way to my house have been needing fixing for years and nothing has been done. All the other roads have been fixed but they don’t care about ours in East Lake Village. I like Pahokee, its a nice quiet neighborhood. It’s not all that hustling and bustling like a big city.
Fishing spot
Marina
Stay in school (Story #186)
In my community was all good but the high school was out of control because the students thought they could just run around wild getting girls pregnant , selling drugs and more things The kids now should stay inside the school And become some body
Growing Up Without Parents
Losing a mother and being raised by an aunt. This ensured that I had to over come obstacles and pave a way for myself and siblings to get through life.
Good manners
I fought a lot as a kid. That’s just how it is when you grow up in the hood. I would have fought a lot more if it wasn’t for one simple phrase: “My bad”. For those of you that don’t speak hood, “My bad” is the equivalent of saying “I’m sorry.”
The Fundraiser
I am very close to everyone in my community. I’ve been battling pneumonia and leukemia for many years now and my insurance stop paying for a lot of my hospital funds.My Neighbors and community as a whole raised money for me. They raised at least $78,000 to help me pay my hospital bills.
Humble Servant
Bring able to come back and give back to the community. Doing stuff for those who gave to me as a kid.
Trying to make it.
Moved here in 2013. Went to an eye doctor in 2014 who worked in Pahokee. She scattered the cataract and tried to get it out, but blinded her in one eye. She can’t find stuff in her house and scatters stuff around. Can’t get much help. Grandchildren’s mother was killed by father (drug user), one grandchild works in a clinic in NJ, the other works in transportation. Life is okay, but it could be better. Grandson has two boys, granddaughter childless. Born in Pahokee. Learnt from Aunt and Uncle, didn’t finish school because she had to pick beans. Didn’t think…
Make the right friends
An important day in my life was when I first got out of prison Life wasn’t always great for me and it wasn’t always good but when I went down that bad road and had the wrong friends I was in and out of jail I was selling drugs Things was just bad for me don’t need you guys making the same mistake I made
My community (Story #370)
More and more Americans who struggle to get by are living in these marginalized, disinvested communities where jobs and educational opportunities are scarce, and an increasingly militarized police force is the primary contact residents have with government. But for two years, Americans have been expressing confusion as one neighborhood after another from one city to another
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