“We Are Here” Stories (List View)

Palm Beach County 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.

The stories and micro-narratives they submitted (as part of the We Are Here SenseMaker project) are listed below. Click ZOOM IN to learn more about the community member and how they interpreted their submission. NOTE: Some stories were partially transcribed by volunteers who shortened the narratives and referred to the storytellers in the third person (e.g., “her experience was” instead of “my experience was”).


Dec 6, 2018

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.
Sep 19, 2018

Safety first (Story #469)

I have a young niece and nephew who goes to the Hester center all the time. I remember them talking about two “gangs” are not getting along. So that worried me what this gets out of control. Thankfully it didn’t but now I restrict them going over to the park. I just want them to be safe.
Nov 2, 2018

The city

Growing up in boynton there’s a lot of important moments. Things are not as good as they used to be around here.when I was younger I was shot 5 times on different occasions.
Sep 28, 2018

All about bridges

When i was younger early 20s i moved to Boynton Beach from South Carolina and me and my sister had kids. It was really rough trying to do everything we was aware of any sources to help us we didn’t know about things like bridges and that would’ve been very useful. As i got older i knew about bridges Best thing of my life
Nov 17, 2018

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
Oct 1, 2018

Canidate Supreme Court

The Supreme Court being a candidate