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.” Explore 50 responses below, selected at random. Which stories capture your attention? (Some responses were transcribed by youth volunteers.) To learn more about the storyteller and how they interpreted their response, click “Zoom In.”
Helpless
Once I seen somebody fall out. many walked by but it was one group that stopped to help.
Living in the Glades
Graduating from high school and keeping contact with everyone.
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.
Made it happen
My home situation was slightly better than average when compared to the typical ghetto home life.My mom didn’t always work, but she took temporary work when she could and I never went hungry.
Preparation
Going off to college, and meeting others from other neighborhood and making connections. My community prepared me for this.
Scary story- Rickia Petty
I was in my room and playing cards then my friend ran in yelling my name i was confused he said they found a dead body i said a dead body? He said a dead body i said where they said in a lake they went to the scene but my mom said i couldn’t go
Dreams-Rickia
I grew up in very negative environment. My father drank a lot and took it out on my mother. I remember telling myself at a very young age that I would marry a man that loved me and my family, I would have a healthy environment for my family and we would enjoy life to the fullest and I created that and more
Situations
Living in my neighborhood was hell. My mom worked so hard for us to sell have less than it was a tough situation man we was always put out my sisters was acting up and it just wasn’t good for us
Born and raised in Delray Beach- Kene
Giving birth to my children. I was born and raised in Delray so it was nice to have all my family and friends present. And something I’m looking forward to oneday, is purchasing my own house in Delray for my family.
The day i brought my neighborhood together-Nelcael Joseph
The most important time in my life was when i was able to bring my family together along with my whole community not only was it done by someone in my community but by a female me myself France Haven was able to set up a family fun day within my neighborhood to bring everyone together.
Change for the better (Story #478)
2 shootings has happened that I know about his year in my community. That hurts me. Why is what I ask myself. Is this what the world is coming to?
Safety first (Story #481)
I remember one night I was at home. Next thing you know I hear gunshots. I thought nothing of it until I went to watch the news the next day and seen somebody was shot and killed by my house. It worried me about my safety.
My neighborhood (Story #340)
I have to lived my lifeI have been living in my neighborhood every since I was a child. I grew up here, Raised my children here and retired here. I grew up in a timely when neighbors cared your children and everyone cared for each other. Went all African-American children went to one school and church was of the upmost importance.
My community (Story #313)
An Important moment in life is when young man and young women getting killed and not having the same rights as white people .living in the ghetto can change a person from having manners to “get rich or die trying “. Therefore many people wouldn’t just go to living in the ghetto you have to change it yourself to prove people wrong.
Good and Bad
Growing up round violence. Family Orientation around the community and motivation.
Make the right friends
An important day in my life was when I first got out of prison Life wasn’t always great for me and it wasn’t always good but when I went down that bad road and had the wrong friends I was in and out of jail I was selling drugs Things was just bad for me don’t need you guys making the same mistake I made
Do better
My neighborhood hood was terrible and we loved quick when we realized someone died every week. We didn’t like it and wasn’t what we were used to i was scared to sleep there.
The break in -Rickia
Well when i was younger our house would always get broken into we would come home and our house would be trashed we spent all night trying to clean it and the police never really did anything about it they always came late
Don’t do nothing
Growing up in boynton wasn’t always the best we didn’t have the school we wanted we was in and out of Trouble my brother and I Was Trouble makers
Always listen
Many people may say. Things they don’t mean ! The community I growing up in was a community of violence if you have ever been told to stop doing things please stop when you are told always listen !
True love
Growing up when I was young I remember the first time I met her she was sweet when I first moved to the neighborhood we played games Together,laugh together and grew stronger as our connection made a connect. When I first met Ruby
The Silents of the Community
My neighborhood is quite rough. There are many crimes they are usually by the same people. I speak to the police but I don’t see everything. I remember coming home from work and finding out about the 10 year old that got killed from a drive by. I know there was a lot of witnesses but they wouldn’t speak to the police that was at least 5 years ago and even now the crime hasn’t been solved.
Stay in school kids
Listen back when I was child I hated school but when my mom told me “boy you better love school don’t ever let me catch that come out your mouth again” I dropped out right after she told me I had tons of friends but school is important because you’ll need in life. , counting money , reading books and getting good jobs
LOVE (Story #589)
IT A LOVELY COMMUNITY, THE PEOPLE HELP OUT ALOT. KIDS LOVE TO PLAY AND ENJOY THE TIME WITH DIFFERENT KIDS OUTSIDE THERE CULTURAL
Eric Armor
Many people are afraid to walk outside some are even afraid to walk their dog.but when you realize it’s your NEIGHBORHOOD you can control it yourself you can make it a better town than people who are afraid too.
The Wrong Guy
I’m sure there are many stories like this one because of the ridiculous amount of police brutality incidents. I had let my grandson use my car to run a few errands. He soon return the car to me but while returning the car to me he got into a incident with a police officer right in my driveway. The police officer roughly grabbed my grandson out my car although i did tell the officer the car wasn’t stolen it was for me and I let him use it. He threw him on the ground and left him with a…
The Church
I have 4 kids and a while ago I was being evicted from my house. I had been laid off and just started a temporary job and I just wasn’t making enough to pay all the bills. I was ashamed with my situation but spoke to my pastor and prayed about it. My church donated money to me and help me keep my house. Now I have a new good paying job and a brand new family my church.
A hole left in me
When Greg Bryant jr was shot in a drive by shooting on i-95. It impacted me and my brother a lot because we grew up with him and that shooting made me look at life different. I started doing things different and staying out of trouble
God bless
No mother should have to bury their child. The shooting that happened about a month ago in my area where I stay devastated a lot of people including me. I did not know the family but I supported them.
The right thing
When I was 16 I saw someone get killed. After that I knew the neighborhood wasn’t safe. I told myself that when I get older I’m going to do the right thing.
Violence (Story #614)
Seeing the police take my father way for life
Growing up (Story #493)
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
Love and cherish
I have a great neighborhood. Recently when I lost my wife everyone came together and took care of me for months. I had been married for 52 years and they knew how important she is to me.
Accused for nothing
I was driving to the corner store and came across a police scene. I walk inside and asked what’s going on. The clerk says that it’s nothing they just came outta do nowhere and started bothering the folks outside. No violence or disruptions going on but they were being harassed.
The man stealing
Growing up I was a Haitian immigrants. in my neighborhood was very rough I was talked about you a lot because my skin tone and how I spoke. one time I was walking anyway and a man was stealing from the store. The police Soon arrived and bodyslammed the man on the ground to simply handcuff him.this wasn’t the first time I seen your officer be extremely rude and rough with someone they were always extremely late and rude in my neighborhood.
Great Place
Overall the community is great great family oriented neighborhood where everyone knows each other.
Family
I used to work in the local corner store. People were also nice to me. We were like family. I would see the same people everyday and we would bond in the course of 5 minutes of them being there.
My community (Story #387)
In 2011, child poverty reached record high levels, with 16.7 million children living in food insecure households, about 35% more than 2007 levels.A 2013 UNICEF report ranked the U.S. as having the second highest relative child poverty rates in the developed world.According to a 2016 study by the Urban Institute, teenagers in low income communities are often forced to join gangs, save school lunches, sell drugs or exchange sexual favors because they cannot afford food.
My Little Brother
My neighborhood is really bad and violently always has been. My younger brother got shot and killed at 15 all he was doing was playing outside with his friends. The police that came to investigate weren’t much of any help they were very rude. They accused my brother of being apart of a gang and that being the reason why he was shot and killed at just 15. My neighborhood needs lots of help and pray which is what I try my best to do.
Neighbors helping neighbors out – Trevon.P
The important moment that happened in my neighborhood is when i lost for two members of my family within two months they got together and help me and my grandson out
Nurse -Devonte white
Important moment in my life was going through nursing school. I always wanted to be a nurse and i made it into reality
Support (Story #618)
Community get together
Can’t take the muck out of the muck.
You could make a living. If you wanted to work, there was work. Finished high school (Lakeshore, 67). Moved to Hartford, CT. 8 siblings. Spent half his life here. Tired of cold weather up north. Retired and came home. Has two kids (grown up). It’s home.
Caught on camera
One day my House was robbed. I realized my necklace was missing then later realized things in my closet were gone and disarranged. I looked at my camera footage and realized teens broke into my house while gone.
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”
Don’t become
Growing was odd for me I was thinking that if I do this I’ll become better but me doing it didn’t make me come better it made me. A threat to the system now I can’t get the job I want all because I seen the. Grown ups doing things
For no reason
I used to be a police back in my day. Things certainly have changed. I was walking outside of my house and seen police interrogating these young men. I did not like what I saw. There were not respectful and actually had no reason to be doing it.
The Betsey Ida story
In the past half a century the world has transformed, with the advent of the internet, medical advances and leaps forward in social equality.But much subtler changes which only those who lived in past decades can understand have also permeated society.
One Big Family
My neighbor next door made sure that I got home safely from school while my parents were at work. The community was one big family.
Beatrice Elma
How the violence’s has increased, and the Judges live in a different world to us, plus wars are still ongoing just to please a few, very worried for our young people and grandchildren what lay’s ahead for them.Plus the lack of justices to those who have sex with children, that’s a no go zone for me.
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