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”).
I grew up in Spartanburg South Carolina it was nothing like it was today. When i was younger around 16 we was aloud to go out and have a good time. When i was 18 me and my cousin went to the pool and we met two guys and they asked if we wanted to go out and we agreed but there was two similar cars and they got out to go get something but i grew impatient. I was in the wrong car blowing the horn and they come out the house and caught me in the car understanding that i had the cars mixed up. Now i said that because the point I’m trying to reach is that there’s too much violence in the community today. these days nobody can ever have fun without these children acting out.
Growing up in my community was going good at first but than it slanted. Things started to feel off but one day I seen this. Kid on the news he died because i fatal shoot out was happening. Around his neighborhood
The police said he grew up in clewston he said it was great they helped one another when you get into trouble from with your neighbor you get in trouble at home
Playing sports was a important moment in my life.It kept me off the streets and focused on something. Most of my friends was in the streets and now they dead or in jail .
One time I had an altercation with a racist police officer. He pulled me over and was talking to me very aggressively and rude. He pulled me out the car although I was already complying and stepping out the car. He acted like this because he believed my car didn’t belong to me he assumed it was stolen.