Runaways: "why are these girls here?"

Most runaways are girls. Why are these girls here? They may be here because they have been victimized or abused. Most girls who have been victimized fear the shame that will be brought upon them and their families, so they keep it a secret or runaway. Many sad stories have been told about girls running away because they were abused and raped. So what can we do to help them? How can we help them? How can we stop the abuse and rapes?

 

Runaway: "why run here?"

Why sleep here? There are other places where youth runaways could go. They could go to a shelter home, a friends house but why out here in the streets or door steps of another persons? Some teens may just be looking for a place to stay because they feel like they have no other places to go because of the troubles their in and how frighten they are because of the situation.

 

True Man

Man or woman. What defines a person and who they really are? Is it the clothes they wear or is it their sexuality? Is being gay or straight different when both sides of the party search for one thing in common? Who’s to say a man can’t wear a dress without being criticized while walking down the street; who’s to say a woman can’t dress like a man?

Bob is a man in women’s clothing, but he is more of a man than anyone else. It’s not about being built or playing violent sports—it’s about what defines you and makes you happy. This man is a proud woman who could care less who stares at him. He yells, “Check me out!” I was shocked that a man who dressed so weirdly was brave enough to show his true form.

He believed that his self confidence started with himself, not others and what they thought of him.

– Pheng

 

Drugs

Once upon a time there was a boy, seventeen years old, who rolled (did ecstasy) every weekend, stayed high, and drank 24/7.

He and I were cool and everything, but sometimes he could get very violent while he was high or drunk. One night we were at a party and he was drunk. I was on the dance floor, and someone smoked his weed that he had left on the table. He got super belligerent and became out of control. He found the girl who had taken the weed and she had smoked it all. Within a blink he had backhanded her.

A couple weeks later he met my friend Tracy and they started dating after hitting it off. He stopped his drug habits for the three months they were going out.

Unfortunately, he later got involved with meth. He and his friends got pulled over at about three in the morning. He was arrested because he was on acid and had thirty-four rolls (ecstasy) on him. He then went to court and was sentenced to six months in Lino. His girlfriend, Tracy, waited until he was finally released in February. He promised her that he would never go back and would never do drugs again.

– Chioma, 15

 

Anonymous Person

I know someone who did crack cocaine.

She didn’t want to at first. She started because of a relative who was around the same age. She started using crack cocaine so that she could be around people she knew since her older siblings didn’t want her around.

Over time she became addicted to the drug. A lot of things have happened since then. She had a child, and wanted to change herself for the baby. She attempted to quit the drug, which worked for a while until she was around the wrong people again. She started the drug again, stealing from her child so she could get money for the drugs. The child tried to help the mother so that she didn’t have to go through it alone.

I don’t know if it was a success or not, but I wish them the best.

– Janelle

 

View of My Life with Drugs

This is the truth about our own people living in the projects
Fighting for territory G’s riding a car
Smoking too much
And drug addiction
We could never find peace with races

Gang Rich n poor
And the rest of the haters out there
Everyone going crazy
Just because of drugs in the communities
Smoking weed
Rolling E’s
Crytal meth
Crack
And the rest of the …drugs out there
But the worst drug of all is meth
Just one puff from it
You’ll be addicted to it
Always got to say no to drugs
It only makes you turn into a hater
We could never change a person
Only they could change themselves
I would’ve died a long time ago
But something’s keeping me alive
Making me try to tell the whole world about it
But I’m just too stupid to realize
That I got a gift
To show everyone
But back then I was too young that time
Try once never going to do it again
This is the truth
From the view of my eyes
This is no lies
Don’t try
Not even once in your life
Too many memories going through in my mind
Got to be tough now.

– William, 16

 

Experience with Drugs

The first time I encountered drugs was in my backyard when I saw a cigarette on my lawn.

I was only seven, and I didn’t know that smoking was bad. I was curious about what smoking was like. I picked up the cigarette, smoked it, and started to gag. My lungs felt like they were bursting out for fresh air.

Slowly, I started to breathe again, but I was breathing heavily, I went into my house and drank water to cool down for a bit. Then I began to calm down and fell asleep on my couch. That day taught me a lesson on why smoking can be harmful to your health, and I will never again smoke.

– C.J., 15

 

Memory of Alcohol

When I was younger my father would sometimes drink Budweiser or wine just to have something to do instead of sitting all day. My oldest brother and a few of my sisters would form a semicircle around my father and watch him chug down a cup. He wasn’t addicted or anything of that nature. He was just a father who wanted to imitate the drunkards on T.V. that we often saw.

He would sometimes offer us a sip or two, not to get us addicted, but to see the silly expressions we made in response to the bitterness of Budweiser. My older brother, being the daring one, would usually take in half a can of beer before pulling away. My older sisters, however, took a sip and pulled away as quickly as the bitterness swam across their taste buds. I, on the other hand, took in a whole mouthful before giving in and declaring my brother the winner.

As we grew up the memory of the bitterness of the can of beer taught me to stay away from alcohol.

– Anonymous

 

My First Job

My first work experience was at the YWCA. In this program we watched little kids and helped them out with their homework. Every Monday and Wednesday we watch the kids at City-view. Tuesdays and Thursdays we went to Olson Middle School.

It was a fun experience, but it was also a frightening experience since I didn’t know anyone. To make things easier for me, I hung out with the kids more and got to know them better. Soon others like the elders started talking to me.

By the time I quit I had a lot of friends and a lot of free time. With the friends I made while working with the Y, we made a lot of mini videos. So my first work experience wasn’t bad or good—it was okay.

-Joshua