We are often told, as human beings, that we should embrace poverty. Yet, the hardest part of growing up in a bad neighborhood was being labeled for it just because we were apart of those poverty levels and being perceived as being the same as the rest. The neighborhood and our surroundings often define us, more than who we are as people. We are not always looked at as someone with potential but as someone trying to start trouble. We’re told that the light is shined on us the most because of negativity, rather than positivity. I realize now, that it’s not just the neighborhoods, but our entire world.

I was born and raised in Fresno, California; and lived on the Westside all of my childhood. The children in my neighborhood were labeled “bad kids” mostly because of the area we lived in and the high death rates in our neighborhood alone. People assume that your mannerisms and persona comes from the neighborhood we were brought up in or how we were raised. When I first moved to Lotus Street at the age of seven-years-old, I constantly heard the sound of gunshots throughout the night; followed by the news of another death the next morning. In addition, school wasn’t much better. Teachers assumed that we were all statistics and therefore limited our opportunities to succeed. The first month of living on the Westside was scary. I wanted to leave, but we couldn't afford it. My family, like others, was stuck in a financial situation and had no choice but to stay. After being in the neighborhood for some time, I became prone to gunshots and violence as if it was normal. During my childhood, I witnessed lives being taken in drive-by shootings. At the time, living there was not something to be proud of. Due to the violence we were exposed to, I lost a lot of family and friends during my childhood.

Although we were surrounded by negativity, growing up on the Westside was not always a bad thing. The people that lived on our street became a tight-knit community that looked out for and protected each other. The neighborhood grandmothers looked out for all the kids, made sure we were safe, and occasionally passed down gems of knowledge to us. “Your current situation does not define your future.” This was a quote that stuck with me for years and has now become something I live by. Although the Westside had a bad reputation, we were shown how to make the best of our living situations. There were block parties to bring us all closer together and neighborhood fundraisers to keep all the kids out the streets.

All of us have had our own “Westside” growing up. And from that, we all have chosen pieces of our lives to leave behind but don't forget to remember the lessons and memories it offered. Looking back, I was able to learn at an early age how to adapt and be aware of my surroundings. It took my experiences and wisdom from my old neighborhood to become who I am today.

What can you take from your old neighborhood?

With Love,

The Westside