Change: Take the good, lose the bad

Community man-Rickia

I pride myself on being the ladies’ man. I love the attention I got from the neighborhood women but not the m

Humor saves lives-Rickia

When I was a teenager, I was the smallest kid in my neighborhood. I got beat up, pushed around and joked on all the time until I learned how to tell jokes and make everyone laugh.

Change-Rickia

I made a lot of errors in life. When I changed me, I changed my life. I’ve been homeless I’ve been in and out of jail. I’ve been been down to my last dollar and had it stolen from me when that was all i had to eat with. My neighborhood was selfish i changed me.

The crash- Rickia

At the age of 13 I was in a fatal car accident that caused me to be in a wheel chair. My community came together to support my mom because my Father died in the crash. I’m still alive here today and although it has changed my life, the love remain the same

What’s done is done- Rickia

I remember when my grandfather told me to live life because when its all over and done, it is all over and done. You die with all the dreams you have ever dreamed, so make your life count. It was bad in my neighborhood. We couldn’t even speak to kids that was your color, but when it is all said and done it is only on heaven and one hell.

Love- Rickia

I am so lonely since my Walter died. We loved our neighborhood and we loved each other. I think everyone should have a love and a relationship that help you get through the worst times and also help create the best moments. Walter was that and more. He was a great Father, grandfather and he served the country until the day he died.

Dance- Rickia Petty

I was raised in a time that war was all too comfortable and it seemed everyone around me was in a frinzy. I learned how to dance with the songs in my head to help me get through those times.

Ocean life-Rickia

I have been following oceans and water since I could remember. I now live on the ocean where I can wake up to the sound of the water everyday. When I was a child my father introduced me to this life because he was in the military and traveled and moved a lot. When I had my family I choose to settle in a small community close to the ocean.

All together as one

An important time in my life was when my whole neighborhood came together as one it felt great to see us all come together. Through all the pain , suffrage killings and all we still was able to come together as a black community as we should. It was important for me because in my time it wasn’t like this it was different i wasn’t able to swing on that purple swing right there i wasn’t able to drink from that water fountain but now my grandkids can my nephews my kids kids everyone all together are able to be as one.

Dreams-Rickia

I grew up in very negative environment. My father drank a lot and took it out on my mother. I remember telling myself at a very young age that I would marry a man that loved me and my family, I would have a healthy environment for my family and we would enjoy life to the fullest and I created that and more