“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”).


Nov 16, 2018

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
Oct 31, 2018

Helping hand- Kene

One morning I got up and went running and as I was running I seen this person struggling to get stuff out the car, and so I had a feeling in my gut to help out so I ran towards the person and asked can I land a hand with those, and so the person let me helped and as soon as I was done helping , she rewarded me with a beverage and ever since that me and that person became good friends, it’s a very good thing to help people in the neighborhood no matter what it is.
Oct 14, 2018

The Care and Feed of Grandfathers.

Came here from Lantana and lived here since 1970. Ran service desks in Lantana, but business became difficult and would have to borrow money to keep it running. Didn’t want to do that. Had two small kids to support and be around. Came out here quite by accident. Called out to a mechanic job in the area he found in the newspaper. Discovered Pahokee when he came down, and decided to move the whole family here. When he came down here, someone helped him out to pay off his dying business. He was lucky. Started working here, and living in a trailer. A lot of Jim Crow here, and he grew up in the North. He was a stranger to this. Did various jobs here. Father left home when he was 7. This experience made him determined to be a part of his kids lives.
Mar 4, 2019

Community as a whole

Just growing up here the hardships
Sep 21, 2018

Important moment interview

Live in Jefferson manor and grand parents owned store in Delray. 4th generation and moved into grandparents old home. Loss job recently but thank God was able to keep the house, worked and traveled a lot professionally.
Mar 4, 2019

Do the right thing (Story #610)

Don’t run from police