“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

Concrete Jungle

My cousin got arrested for selling drugs.
Sep 14, 2018

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
Oct 4, 2018

Snitches get stitches

In my neighborhood there has been many killings, fights all of that. My son was recently killed at a house party. The saddest thing about it was no one seen anything which I don’t believe this community needs to let go of the whole idea “snitches get stitches”
Sep 19, 2018

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.
Dec 6, 2018

Weekend yard work

I have lived in the same place on and off for most of my life with the same neighbor . Maybe about ten years ago sadly her husband past . Now am 42 with a son so what we do on weekends we cut her grass for her like he husband use to do .
Mar 16, 2019

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.