Change: Take the good, lose the bad

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

My neighborhood-Rickia

I loved my neighborhood minus the violence it has the today the kids are different but there’s always a handful that comes and sit and talk to me. They are sweethearts. Then the others won’t even help themselves.

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

Business minding-Nelcael Jospeh

Once i was walking with my grandma. She lived by my school so she would walk to pick me up everyday and while we were walking we heard arguing and my grandma gripped my hand and started walker fast she said come on boy walk fast i said grandma we should help them she said shut you mouth and mind your business i wouldn’t dare say another word because my grandma didn’t play the radio. When we had walked into the house she fixed me a snack as she usually would and we heard gun shots I looked at ,y grand,a and she acted like nothing happened she looked at me and said eat your food and we never brought it up again

Boys to brothers- Nelcael Jospeh

In my neighborhood there was not so many girls so when i wanted to go outside and play there was so many boys and i remember one day they actually let me play with them and we all became friends then they became like brothers to me and i was about to go on a date one time when i got older and they all came down the street to see who it was and what his name was it was cute and funny at the same time

Get it on my own – Devonte white

Important moment in my life is learning how to provide for myself. I used to depend on my parents to do everything. I had to get off my butt and go work for something

Mlk March-Rickia

I can remember the neighborhood coming together to watch the Mlk March and all my friends came over with they grandma because back then everyone couldn’t afford a tv

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

Basketball

Basketball really save my life. If I wasn’t at the basketball courts I would of been selling drugs.Not that many options around here.

The right track-laroderick rickstdson

I grew up in the trenches I was selling dope and getting bad grades in school and the someone wanted to put me on the path to success and I was not selling dope and I was getting good grades