Berkeley Youth Institute two thousand fourteen

The Youth Institute equips our youth with five fundamental maps to navigate the world: sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. Our sensory intelligence guides us to be present in the moment, to listen to our intuition and reawaken the wild inside. The Youth Institute is both a return to reflection and ritual and an advance towards risk and resilience. While each summer has its own personality, one thing remains the same year after year, the courage to tell a story. It is when we go searching for a story that we learn to tell our own. Storytelling is powerful, it’s the binding agent to culture, the common denominator in family, and the natural remedy for healing. Here at the Youth Institute we weave our stories together in solidarity and we create a magical space with a culture all it’s own, we call each other family, and we heal so that we can move forward. This magazine is a collection of our stories, some sad, some funny, some informative, all honest. We start each summer with our Wilderness Retreat where every night we sit around a campfire and tell our stories, an age old ritual and tradition that transcends culture. This is by far the best part of the Youth Institute, and with out a doubt where we begin the work on ourselves and our community. This magazine is an offering to that experience and an attempt to recreate that fire where ever we are.

Each year holds a special place in my heart, this year sets itself apart because it marks the end of my story with the Youth Institute. I could not have asked for a kinder, more loving class to end with, and ask to carry on the Youth Institute spirit. The last two and half years have been some of the best for me and I think it can best be defined by the ninty youth that joined me on the journey. It has been an honor to work alongside some of the greatest youth in the Bay Area. With all my heart, I thank you and encourage you to keep what we started going.

- Pegah Rahmanian, Youth Institute Program Manager

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sir James Family • by Sir James RobinsonTyler Oakley • by Novejot BalEscape • by Daniel GonzalezFashion • Camille Germinal

Traveling • by Finn MezaInsert Coin to Play • by Manuel MonterrosoToday’s Slavery • by Makeda Kaya Tucker

My Mom • by Lucy WaldDysphoria • by Kimberly Solis

Gentrification in the City • by Atzin Trigueros PavonMonumental Battles • by Steven BeardVideo Games • by Alexander Medoza

Parkour • by Andrew ErbachThe Boxing Gym • by Leandro Gonzalez

Finding Your Passion • by Tala David-CasianoInsecurities and Expectations • by Patricia Adaya

Hear Me Out • by Maya BrooksSupport • by Alejandra Carrillo

Chesline • by Jasmine MillerMy Best Friend • by Fernando PerezProcrastination • by Alfonce Prince

Taekwondo • by D’von SantosUnspoken Lives • Jordan ManningIn My Eyes • Adrianna Blackshire

Two Peas in a Pod • Diana GonzalezHome • by Lulani Sudjian

Speak Up • by Yessenia SanchezMy Type of Music • by Mikaila Mason

Class Logo and Quote • by Class of 2014Class PictureThank You

Contributors

A family is supposed to be loving and caring, where everyone can talk to each other. But not every family is like that, especially mine. We argue a lot, and are always at the wrong place at the time. Times like my birthday, Christmas Eve before we bless the food, Easter while we’re looking for eggs, 4th of July when we get louder than the fireworks, and always on Thanksgiving. These are times that a family is supposed to come together, but that’s not how it is for us. They fight about the he-said, she-said, who-did-it, and it’s almost always for some dumb reason. I know I make it seem bad, but that’s not always the case. There’s never a wrong time for my family to butt heads. On my 12th birthday, we had a party at a skating rink. I was really hoping that this day would go well. So I have two cousins who never really got along, they just didn’t like being around each other. So I’m talking to one of them when suddenly the younger cousin just tackled him. They both fell fighting on the ground, and I got tripped. I fell, and like dominoes, I tripped a whole group of people behind me. Next thing I hear is my mother arguing with another cousin for something totally unrelated. As I was breaking up my two cousins on the floor, my grandmother and aunt stepped in my mother’s argument. It got so loud that my entire family had to leave. It was a horrible day. But on the other hand, take my cousin. On her 13th birthday, her parents planned a family trip to Six Flags. We waited until the gate opened and spent the morning going on rides. The adults told us not to buy anything, because my aunt had made barbecue, baked beans, greens, and potato salad for the whole family. So by 1 o’clock, we went out back to the parking lot and ate in our cars. We went back to the park afterwards and we stayed until the park closed. We all went home and had dinner at Cheesecake Factory. Now that last story doesn’t sound so exciting, but the most memorable part will always be how there was no argument at all the whole day. It was very different, because we dealt with each other without conflict. For some hours, I felt like we were a real family. It’s really hard to get this kind of feeling sometimes, but maybe that’s why it’s so much better when I do. It might be hard for us to show that we love each other, but deep down I know we do. I accept my family: all of its crazy, dysfunction, and the love underneath it all.

By Sir James Robinson

Watching Youtubers these days has become a thing. But this thing is weird. Imagine someone asking you who your idol is and you reply with a Youtuber--some talking head in the screen. Some people might idolize a president, some saint, or even an actor. But for some reason, idolizing a Youtube personality is considered weird. But, there’s a connection. For some reason, I find it more personal. These random strangers are talking to me, they’re telling me how they feel, and I just take it in. Sometimes, these people say something that reflects how I feel. A Youtuber who really speaks to me is Tyler Oakley.

Tyler posted his first video on Youtube in 2007, and has been uploading videos, weekly, to this day. He is a very loud, exciting, and fun person to watch. One of the things I love about him is that he is the most positive and carefree person I’ve ever seen. A lot of Tyler’s videos are him having fun and not being afraid of getting judged. He talks a lot about being your own person and not letting others take control of it. He also talks about social issues. Even recently, he worked with an organization that helps prevent suicide in LGBTQ youth. It’s called the Trevor Project, and by rallying his watchers Tyler helped raise over half a million dollars for it.

Tyler has helped me get through a lot. He is always talking about sticking up for yourself and what you believe in. That has helped me a lot with speaking up at school. I’ve been more comfortable in sharing my opinion with people, like when we have group projects. If someone showed me a video of the way I act now two years ago, I would have never believed them. This new confidence has gotten me more into Youtube and I actually want to start making my own videos. I see how Tyler makes people happy while having fun and that’s exactly what I want to do. Youtubers, in general, are not actors, presidents, or saints, they’re human beings just like me. A person that thinks like me. In a way, I’m just listening to myself speak when I watch Tyler’s videos. In a way, my idol is me.

“Care less about what other people think because at the end of the day everyone is so worried about themselves and how they are coming across that nobody is actually judging as much as y’all think they are.” - Tyler Oakley

He unzips, takes out the only necessary supplies, packs the bowl, lights it, takes a hit, coughs and passes it on to the person beside him. Little did you know, before we all met up his father had been screaming at him. “I only chief because I like it”, he says. Sure, he likes it, but there’s a deeper meaning as to why he smokes. As his friend it’s clear he smokes to escape from his struggles that face him everyday.Weed has a way of showing what’s going on in someone’s mind when you wouldn’t otherwise be able to know. I believe when teenagers smoke weed and do drugs they do it for three particular reasons: because they like it and how it makes them feel, to escape from difficult situations that they’re put in, and to go along with the crowd. For example, my friend Ray has lots of insecurities of how people view him and believes if he can create an image of being the ‘party animal’ of the school he will gain everyone’s respect. As a result he smokes weed, drinks tons of alcohol, and even eats shrooms just so that people will look at him and say “wow, he’s cool”. But, of course, that’s all in his head. Depression, stress, family problems, school problems, bullying, mental health issues, these are all things that can cause a teenager to fall under the grip of using drugs.

The teenage brain isn’t fully developed until teens hit their mid-20s, yet we experience difficult moments we’re not mentally capable of handling, which ultimately shape us into the person we will be as adults. During these difficult times, certain teens turn to the weed, while other teens stay clean. So, the question is how can some teens take their situation head on and other teens give up without even trying? Growing up surrounded by drug use it had an opposite effect to what you might think, instead of being the resource I went to, it open my eyes to realize I didn’t need drugs to solve my problems. There are other resources that can help us with the situations we are put in. For example, writing about hard times can greatly help teens to express their emotions, which they find difficult to talk about. Therapy can also be a good way to let go of thoughts that are locked in their mind and solve problems which are causing life to be difficult. Writing, therapy, positive ways of dealing with stress are ongoing solutions to problems. Drugs on the other hand are temporary solutions. In both cases, problems come and go, but with drugs, what felt like a temporary solution can become a tragic addiction and lead to many more problems with no solution.

By Daniel Gonzalez

Fashion is everywhere. Everytime you look at a person you are looking at fashion. For example, someone that wears bright or vibrant colors is telling you that they are most likely a happy person. Fashion has personality. One thing that makes fashion exciting is that it changes almost everyday. What is ‘in’ one day may be old news the very next day. The 70’s fashion consisted of bellbottoms and tie dye, the 80’s were leg warmers and shoulder pads, the 90’s were Doc Martens and overalls, and currently it’s all about converse and skater skirts. Even though fashion changes, an old fashion can always come back. It’s 2014 and when I walk down the halls of my school all I see is tie dye, flannels, and skater skirts. My passion for fashion started when I was 11, when my half-sister started talking about this college she was interested in, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. My parents took me on a tour there and I saw people working on the most impressive clothing I’d ever seen. That was the moment I realized there had been something missing from my life. I started experimenting with my style and realized I liked two types of fashion: New York and Los Angeles street style.

In my opinion, fashion is all about the clothing itself, whereas fashion design is the process of making the clothing. When people talk about fashion design and designer clothing the first thing you think is expensive. I go on and on about fashion like its free. Trust me, I do realize that clothes are expensive, but true talent is someone who can take an old T-shirt and turn it into one of the latest trends. Fashion design doesn’t have to be expensive, it can happen in your room as long as you have the vision. A real designer is someone who can see the true beauty within something that no one else can. At first, I never understood why fashion designers made such dramatic and weird clothing. Then, I realized it’s all of the designer’s emotions thrown into one piece of clothing. I consider clothes implements of art, just like a paintbrush paints a beautiful painting, or a chisel creates a statue, clothes make fashion.

FASHION (n)‘faSHən/A popular trend, especially in styles of dress and ornament ormanners of behavior.

Fashion is about something that comes from within you.-Ralph Lauren

FASHION DESIGN (n)ˈfaSHən/ dəˈzīn/

Fashion design is the art of the application of design and aesthetics or natural beauty to clothing and accessories. Fashion design is influenced by cultural and social latitudes, and has varied over time and place. The best things in life are free, the second best things are expensive.-Coco Chanel

By Camille Germinal

My first memory of travelling was when my family went to Belize, I was 5 years old; I remember loving the boat rides and being on the beach. We would go to a cafe where there was a monkey and if you gave it a soda whoever walked under the tree it perched on would end up with a soda on their head. So, of course I would beg my mom for a soda and then lure my sister underneath the tree. It is the first memory I have of enjoying new things, including food, people, culture, and a whole different language. My family traveled a lot when I was little and it instilled in me a desire to always get out of what was normal and experience new things. My family doesn’t travel as much anymore, but as I get older all I think about is all the places I want to visit.

When I was younger traveling meant adventure and new things, it was fun. Now, I want to travel because I want to get away from the hard things in my life, I want to feel the way I did when I was begging my mom for another soda. I want to travel to other countries, where I can leave my phone behind and all the social media that comes with it, where I can hear languages I don’t understand, where I don’t have to interact with anyone if I don’t want to, and where, because nobody knows me I can be whoever I want. I can imagine myself traveling to the Netherlands because it’s where it seems a lot of happiness is; I can imagine myself traveling to Korea to use the Korean I’ve learned over the past year (I even changed Siri on my phone to interact with me in Korean); and mostly I can imagine myself traveling to Mexico, the trip that never happened, the trip that would take me to my father’s homeland. Where ever I go I know that I will come back a happier person, a more empathetic person, and a more knowing person and that’s the kind of person I want to be.

After I returned from Belize I was more interested in the relationships in my life and less on the material things. When I returned from Costa Rica my relationship with my sister deepened because we didn’t have anyone else to interact with and learned how to depend on one another. After a trip to Canada using social media seemed overrated. Traveling can change who you are, give you a new perspective, a new lease on life. You don’t have to travel far away to have a profound experience, sometimes it is as easy as going out of your everyday life. So, when you finish reading this pick a place and try something new, see new things, and make the best of it.

travelling

written by Finn Meza

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By: Manuel Monterroso

When I was little I remember my dad buying me a Game Boy and a Mario game. Even though he had little money at the time, he saw that video games made me happy. I loved that Game Boy so much, I remember how mad I got when I left it in the sun and the screen got damaged. Looking back, I realize how much time that Game Boy took away from me. If I wasn't playing video games, my dad would have been teaching me cursive to fix my sloppy handwriting. I could have skated with my brother and his friends. I could have helped my dad at work. I could have done so many other things, but I didn’t. When I was seven, my mother got me a PlayStation 2 and my habits got worse. The only people I could connect and talk to were the characters in the games. My parents felt hurt because I wouldn’t talk to them or anyone else. After think ing about it, I decided to put away my video games and spend my time with family and my community. When I chose to put my games away it broadened my perspective on everything. I became part of the world. I learned how to enjoy people’s company--people made of flesh and bones, not pixels and codes. I got to experience other people and their stories. My relationship with

my parents got better, and I started to develop much more respect for them. My grades got better because I didn’t have any distractions. School is the most important thing in my life. Looking back, I don’t regret putting my games away, but I also realize that they had a major role in my life. All the

years I spent playing them, every game had a neatly packed theme, a good message that I can carry out in my real life. They built my character because I idolized the heroes in my games. They had a good heart and knew right from wrong in an instant. You could say that a person is a sum of everything in their life. Video games is a big part of my equation. From video games, I wouldn't be who I am today. It taught me how to be human. But you can’t teach being alive, you just have to be. Be in the moment, be with the people that matter, and be with the world. Video games carry a lot of meaning, but you can’t really learn anything until you experience it yourself. Like Mario, one day I’ll save my own princess. One day I’ll learn to fight through adversities, defend my honor, or protect the people I care about. As great as video games are, nothing is as good as being alive.

We might not be locked up in chains or bleeding in pain by the whips that hurts our ancestors backs but as a result we’re just as messed up and I know this for a fact.

African Americans getting in line to buy these fake European hair.

They’re teasing the nappies not believing that is happy but they really don’t care.

Calling your own people niggas like it’s our name but let me tell you something,: go ahead and let the other races call us that, its still the same.

Our ancestors bled to death so people won’t call us niggas, they fought for us but when people call you a

nigga that’s your patna.

You might be the realest person, but we wouldn’t know, cause you chose to have fake hair, nails, eyelashes, so your real stuff don’t show.

I’m not trying to be mean, but the problem is a colored person trying to act white. The fact that you

wanna be light is very foolish.

You wanna act white but what does that mean to you, because if acting white means I’m acting smart, then I guess I act white too.

Laughing at people that are dark, “haha your darker than my black jacket.” But you left out some things:

she’s dark, smart and fantastic.

What’s the matter with the people on this continent, because none of y’all are realizing being called dark is actually a compliment.

It’s funny because back in the olden days we sing spiritual songs. Now a days we’re singing about getting money and girls in thongs.

Why are some of us homeless? I know there is a lot of space. But you want to take our land and not share the place.

And by homeless I don’t just mean being a bum on the street, I mean belonging in the world, having a

place to plant our feet.

Now I love y’all and I’m not tryna fuss,but we might not be in slavery but slavery is in us.

By Makeda Kaya Tucker

My mother has Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). It is a serious mental illness that hurts more than the person afflicted. Living with someone with BPD was a struggle, it was a challenge that broke my family. There was a lot of neglect, and when her symptoms were at their worst the verbal abuse came. The idea of having a parent with BPD is a hard situation for everyone. My sister and I could only help so much with how old we were, and my father could not legally be there to help her. This was a woman who was supposed to be a stable presence in my life, but this disease changed that. BPD has symptoms of unstable moods,behavior, and relationships. Some of their unstable moods are panic, depression, rage, or impulsivity. A lot of issues stem from some kind of abandonment, either perceived or real. People with BPD tend to have a pattern of intense and strong relationships with family, friends, and loved ones. This can range from extreme closeness and love to extreme hatred or anger. BPD is one of the hardest mental illnesses to treat, it takes many years going to a psychiatrist to treat it. My family seemed like any other family with divorced parents, but it wasn’t. We had separate households because of legal ramifications. When my father first found out about my mother’s BPD through a diagnosis, he wanted to help. He was ready to work through things with the woman he swore his life to. But with her paranoia, out of fear of abandonment she got a court order for

my father to leave us. I didn’t see my father for 6 months. After this time, we started living between two homes. I remember my father dropping my sister and I off to our mother’s house. Both my sister and I were crying because we didn’t want to go to my moms, and he couldn’t do anything about it. My mother constantly devalued my sister; it was a constant stream of “you’re worthless,” “I wish I never had you,” or “you were a mistake.” It was 4 years of this until my sister left, at that point my mother turned to me. But what bothers me the most, even to this day, was that it didn’t bother me. I expected it from her. As little of a mother as she was to me, I still keep a picture of her from when she was younger. My dad would talk about how sweet of person she was when he first met her. She was beautiful. I just wish I had that mother.

By Lucy Wald My Mom

There are two events that have had a major effect on my life. Looking back on what happened in each event only makes me confused. Confused about what I saw, confused about what I understood, and confused about what I felt. I can remember a hospital room, a group of bullies and a bottle of pills. Bullies usually bother people to feel better about their own lives, at least that’s what I’ve heard. I’m easily triggered by things and being an outcast at school doesn’t help at all. One day some kid took it too far and I had a really bad panic attack that led to a series of other panic attacks throughout the whole day. I hated my life and things didn’t seem to get better. I was sad because everyone else was sad. I learned that some people can be alive but dead at the same time. My sister knew how to dream big and made everyone around her happy, but one day she started sleeping and never woke up. Although, I never knew her official diagnosis I knew she had some sort of brain damage. I was too young to be told she would eventually die after a few years, but I had hope she would get better somehow. She passed away the same day she turned thirteen. After that I just got really depressed. Once you hate yourself you stop caring about everything that can hurt you. Starving myself for days made me happy and sliding a blade across my wrist made me smile. I was stuck in a self-destructing cycle where I would hate myself if I didn’t hurt myself and hate myself if I did. The idea of anyone hurting themselves is terrifying but when I did it, it didn’t seem so bad. At the time it was the only thing that would help me get through my day. My support system consisted mainly of my friend and the day I really needed to talk to someone my friend didn’t want to talk. I felt terrible and suicidal. When my family chose to go out I decided to stay home alone. I spent most of my day crying and I eventually made the decision to overdose on some pain killers. After going to the emergency room I was transferred to the psychiatric facility where I stayed for almost two weeks. Everyday there were new people arriving or leaving the hospital. People were placed there if they were on a 5150 (72-hour involuntary psychiatric hold). Some heard voices in their head and others saw things that weren’t there. Overall everyone there had some sort of mental illness. It was there that I met people who literally became their diagnosis. Being surrounded by such people had me realize that I shouldn’t let my depression take over my life. Although, I nearly lost myself in a fight against depression a while back I know I shouldn’t give up now, whether it’s so chocolate

ice cream is always in my life or because I want to be there for my little brother as he grows up. I want to accomplish something whether it’s looking in a mirror without hating everything I see or successfully graduating from high school. Now, it’s a television show called Doctor Who that makes me happy, and my brother’s smile that makes me smile. I don’t know what is in store for me, but I know I want to find out.

By Kimberly Solis

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Back in the 40’s my great grandfather and great grandmother moved out to Church Street, San Francisco from Upper Mexico. The houses weren’t being sold for two million dollars then, and the neighborhood was full of working class, Mexican and Irish families. They bought three big victorian style homes between 28th and 27th Street. Back in the day, my great grandparents owned the house, which is now the local coffee shop Martha & Bros. Coffee Co. My grandmother, her siblings, my father, and his cousins all grew up there. I would’ve grown up there too, until my neighborhood got gentrified. San Francisco is rich with diversity, from Mission to Noe Valley to Downtown to the Castro they’re all so different from each other, yet all reside in the same city. It’s like Hinduism, all the deities are just forms of one god. From the hippies and steampunks on Haight St., to all the Latina mothers with their kids in The Mission, to the low-income working families in Excelsior, these make this city whole. In this city difference isn’t just accepted, it’s advocated -- it’s celebrated. San Francisco teaches you that no matter how weird you are there’s always a place where you belong. As much as I love this city, last year I had to move out. The prices for everything were getting too expensive for my dad. In fact, most of his longtime friends had moved out at that point. These are people he grew up with, whose parents was born and raised in the same exact neighborhood. If you look

around and compare todays San Francisco from only 15 years ago, you can tell there’s a big difference. The neighborhoods of the city have been gentrified. These urban communities began to cater more towards wealthier residents and businesses, increasing the property value. Lower income communities got pushed out by higher prices of rent and basic necessities. Ever since the Dot-com boom in the 90’s, San Francisco has gone from being a diverse utopia for anybody to a bourgeois heaven for yuppies. Longtime residents are pushed out to Oakland, Richmond, Hayward, and other surrounding cities. I believe that the heart and soul of this city is its diverse culture and population. Culture happens in a community, people tied together with backgrounds, traditions, and hardships. Gentrification is a creeping force that’s hurting the heart and soul of San Francisco. This is not to say that young professionals don’t have a place in the city, but not at the cost of the community. I come from a family that was able to live in this city for generations. We grew up with other families from different parts of the city, and to see them go one by one is painful. And it hurts especially when you get pushed out by this force. Being booted out of your home, neighborhood and even city is not a nice feeling. Yet no one’s really to blame, it’s a systemic problem that no one person could really have the solution to. But at the end of the day, all I really want back is my community.

GENTRIFICATION IN THE

CITY BY ATZIN TRIGUEROS PAVON

Movies have always been the absolute passion in my life. When I was younger I always had the desire to be a movie director and make action films. Action films are exciting and full of suspense; they’re very entertaining. I like them because action films carry a lot of emotions such as anger, grief, happiness, or even just excitement. When I watch movies I feel like I can escape to a different world, I want to literally be the characters I see on the screen. I want to experience everything the characters in the movies feel.

Some of my favorite movies are the Harry Potter and the Transformer films. For a while, I was obsessed with Harry Potter. One of my favorite scenes from the movie is the last fight between the protagonist Harry Potter and his rival Voldemort. The entire composition of the scene was perfect, it was an emotional and climactic ending for a fantastic story. Another favorite are the Transformer films. Ever since I saw the first movie, I was hooked. I am definitely obsessed with these movies, to the point where I draw robots better than humans now. These movies created a deep world that involves wonderful robots and epic intergalactic wars. Both the Harry Potter and Transformers films allowed me to transcend the boundaries of my ordinary life. Something that both of these movies had was that the main characters’ lives were very interesting and filled with adventure--which I felt mine lacked. I enjoy the idea of actors pretending to be a different person; it makes me think I could do the same. Sometimes I find myself bored and think my life has no meaning. I love my life, I wouldn’t trade it for anything but, sometimes I wish my life was filled with big adventures. What if I was a wizard of prophecy, a superhero with super speed, or a truck-robot from another world? In the real world I can’t be those things, but I can be a director. As a director, I can imagine and create my own universe. I could share this universe with the rest of the world, and some 7 year old kid could watch my movie and feel the exact same things I did. Some things are impossible, but movies let me experience the impossible.

Monumental Battles

by

Article by: Steven Beard

[He wakes up in a cold, and dark room with a mysterious man who for some reason has captured Bruce Wayne. The man starts talking and right before he leaves he tells Bruce that he knows his secret. When the man is gone the lights flash on, blinding Bruce, then after a second he is able to see his surroundings.] This is one of the more interesting video games I’ve played because it allows

you to have full control over the character, putting you in total power of what will happen. You might recognize the name Bruce Wayne, he’s the main character

in Batman and in this video game, a version of Batman where you can become the character. On average, I play video games for as much as 10 hours a week, most of those hours on the weekend. On the weekdays when I’m really stressed out I come home from school, throw my backpack on the couch, sit down and grab the camo colored controller and start playing. I want to forget the day and clear my mind so I can think about other things.

I was eleven when my older brother bought our first console, a PS3. Even though my brother bought the system, it was me who set it up, our deal was if I did that I could play it. At first we just

had the two games that come with the console, but once we would finish a game it was time to buy another. My brother and I would discuss which games to get next and he would buy them. We loved action and sports the most, like NBA 2K14, Call of Duty, and Madden. What started out as a business partnership, my brother the funder, me the technician, grew into an opportunity for us to bond and become closer.

When I was younger video games were entertaining and a way to fight boredom and hang out with my older brother. Now, a few years later games weren’t just entertaining anymore, I would wonder how they were made? How much time and effort went into every detail of the game, such as the character’s voices? How did the game designers create the sounds when the characters would walk or run? How were the characters created? Maybe it was the deal my brother made with me to set up the console that started the interest, but video games opened a world of how things worked and design. Video games have influenced me to become a better artist and learn the programs in which they create all the animation and the ideas for the games.

Even though video games are entertaining, they can also be a way to relieve stress, and inspire young programmers and designers to make games of their own. One day you might

see my game out on the market, a futuristic 3D racing game in which you would feel like you’re in the car and

speeding past your opponents.

Parkour is an activity that is very hard to categorize. It has many different names that include, Le Parkour, Free Running, L’Art du Deplacement, and the Art of Movement. When you do settle on a name you like the best, it’s harder to choose what exactly it is you’re referring to. Is it a sport? An art? For an activity like this there isn’t really a true answer. But as of right now lets just call it a sport. Parkour is a “sport” in which you move from point A to point B as quickly and stylishly as possible by using a combination of “moves” using only the abilities of the human body. Some “moves” are the vertical wall run, running up a wall, or a basic vault, getting over an obstacle with both hands and only using your feet to jump. One good way of explaining it would be that it is like gymnastics but out in the real world. It is a “sport” that takes years of dedication and training to be “good”.

I first started doing Parkour when I was 14. One of my close friends and I were hanging out and he said “ You know what’s cool? Parkour.” And the next day he showed me some videos on YouTube of people teaching people how to do specific “moves” and he said that he wanted to try them. I agreed

with him even though in the back of my mind I was thinking “Parkour? Yeah right. As if I could do something like that.” But, when he got me to do some simple vaults over a bench I began to realize that maybe Parkour could be something I could do, and now it’s my passion.

But like anything worth doing it doesn’t come without risks. Parkour can be a very dangerous “sport”. By nature it’s something that you start you must know that the odds are that you are going to probably be hurt. There are even some cases in which people have died. Personally, I have had 2 bad injuries. One in which I fell flat on my back from 6 feet, and rolled my ankle so bad that I had to wear 2 different sized shoes and could barely walk due to the swelling.

There are different reasons that a person practices Parkour despite the injuries and the danger. It could be for popularity, boredom, or for just the rush of excitement after doing a “move” that took a lot of practice. There are hundreds of different reasons a person would do Parkour. Personally, I do it for the excitement, and the sense of accomplishment. When I do a trick I feel at peace with myself and

connected to what’s around me. Plus, not many people can say they can flip over a bench. But it’s also something that has changed my life for the better. I used to have a very low self-esteem, and had an athletic level of like, zero. Now, sometimes I can be a bit overconfident and I can run a mile without feeling dehydrated and suffocated half way.

I recommend at least giving Parkour a couple tries. It’s something anyone can do with enough dedication. It may be dangerous, but it can change your life for the better in many different ways. So what do you think it is? A sport? An art? It’s a matter of opinion, but for me, it’s a way of life.

In 6th grade I started boxing. If you knew me you wouldn’t have guessed I was a boxer, I was the quiet type, not open to much. My gym was simple, it wasn’t big, and didn’t have fancy equipment, but it was good enough for me. The first time I walked into the gym I was scared, but excited, the air was hot and I could see the punching bags, the speed bags, and the ring. It was there that I learned to defend myself and make my own decisions. I was no longer that quiet and closed off kid, I was a boxer.

There are two coaches, or better I should call them mentors who work with me. They not only teach me how to box, but also teach me how to live. Ginsi is a great influence in my life, she encourages me to be more social by helping me open up and talk more to people. She told me once that life is never easy; that things you want don’t just come to you, you have to get them through hard work. Every time I see her she always gives me advice,

she says never give up on your dreams and if you want something you should go for it. There is one piece of advice she always gives me that I think about often, she says people like me, with good grades, intelligent, and hard working fall because they don’t make their own decisions. She says they follow their peers and just do things to fit in, which can result in serious consequences; and she doesn’t want me going through that.

Then there’s Abraham. He’s

my other mentor and he has really changed me. He shows me so much about what is out there and that I should treasure what I have now because I won’t have it forever. He has worked so hard to get what he wants and this inspires me to work hard to get what I want. He also teaches me about respect. He says respect has to be earned, you don’t just get respect, you show that you deserve it by respecting first and showing discipline. After a lot of hard work, sweat, and bruised

knuckles I earned Abraham’s respect, he trusted me to set up the gym before class and repaid my hard work with his respect.

Boxing may seem easy but it isn’t. The sport itself requires good balance, stamina, technique, and so much more. Sports can be like that, they can show you more than the sport itself. The best thing that boxing has showed me is that if I work hard for what I want, and follow my dreams I can achieve anything.

By Leandro Gonzalez

Basketball is an important part of my life, it makes me feel more energetic and active, which is what I need because I am really shy. I started basketball when I was 7 years old at the YMCA. I didn’t think of it as a serious sport, just as a fun game. The first day of practice my mom had to force me to try basketball; I cried so much. I hated how everyone was dribbling the ball and making loud annoying noises. It smelled like sweat and rubber and I wanted to go home to get away from all of the new strange faces. With tears streaking my face my mom pushed me onto the court with all the other girls. I was very embarrassed because all the other girls my age were happy to be there and were not crying. So, I sucked up my tears and started to shoot hoops. It was really easy to make friends because all the girls were hyper and outgoing. After a few minutes of shooting hoops and dribbling the ball, I realized that I really enjoyed it. Eventually I was good enough to be moved from the girls team to the boys team. Basketball was more than a hobby, it made my life more interesting, I got to make new friends, and go to far away tournaments. I was able to break out of my shell a little and feel safe, my basketball team became my second family. Once basketball became my favorite thing to do, I started playing for a real basketball team called “Soldiers” and learned the basic rules like, what traveling is and that double dribbling is when you dribble the ball twice. Playing with the Soldiers was way more intense. We played with bigger teams and didn’t win any games. With lots of practice and a few new members we got better and better and started winning games and I was even one of the starting five. Playing with the Soldiers taught me that you can have a family that is not related to you by blood. It taught me how to raise money for tournaments and this improved my communication skills and public speaking skills because I had to interfere with strangers. It helped me socially because each team I joined became my family. Basketball also changed me emotionally, I became tougher and could speak up for myself, now whenever I am mad, I take my anger out on the court. One of the biggest impacts basketball has had on me is how to break through my shyness and scream on the court. When I was little, I tried chorus, swimming, piano, trumpet and dancing. I didn’t really like those activities the way I loved basketball, but I am glad I tried them. Now, I try every activity because you never know if you will enjoy it. Basketball is one activity that I do enjoy and it changed my life socially and emotionally. If I didn’t try basketball, I would have never known that playing basketball is my passion and I can make a good career out of it. Trying one activity can turn into a great career.

Finding Your PassionBy: Tala David-Casiano

Expectations. There are many expectations in a teen’s life, especially for a girl. In magazines, advertisements, film and television, society tells girls to be perfect through pictures of beautiful, skinny, tall women. This causes low self-esteem amongst teenagers and a lack of confidence. Instead of showing young women one version of beautiful, society should tell us to focus on inner beauty, not outward beauty. Due to all the pressures and expectations of the world to be perfect and beautiful, some girls become anorexic and bulimic, essentially hurting themselves to achieve skinniness, the image of perfection. Girls deserve to be told that they are beautiful the way they are. Girls should not have these expectations of a particular beauty, instead they should be themselves, they should be happy. Girls should be taught instead to be kind, honest, and selfless, that is true beauty. These traits bring happiness and the closest thing that we as humans can get to perfection. I have walked into a room before, saw other people, and then immediately become self-conscious. Then immediately, I think...“Do I look okay? Does my outfit look nice?” I have always cared what others thought of me. It has always made me feel bad about myself because I think of the worst. That’s why I get nervous around other people, I don’t want to talk to them because I’m afraid that they won’t like what I say. Some people do not care what others say, and I applaud them for that. I have always wanted to be like them, but I just can’t. There are points in my life when I go home, utterly miserable because I was talking to somebody and said something so stupid. When that happens, I relive it over

“Life is too short to care about what others say.”

and over again, and I just kick myself for it. That’s why I hate being alone by myself, because that’s the time that I think, but when I’m with my close friends, I can forget about all of it, I can distract myself from my thoughts. It used to be so bad that I hated going to school, I didn’t want to be around anybody. Although, nobody ever said anything bad about me, in my head, I thought they were. I’m starting to care less now, but sometimes my insecurities still get to me. When I start to beat myself up over what I did, I just remind myself that it doesn’t matter, none of it does. Life is too short to care about what others say. I have come to realize that it doesn’t matter what other people think, but what I think of myself. It doesn’t matter if you don’t look like a supermodel, or if you don’t meet the industry’s standards of perfection. People are beautiful the way they are, and we don’t need to change a thing. People don’t need to be tall or skinny to be beautiful, they just have to be themselves. If you’re like me, somebody who cares about what others think just remember that in the future, none of what you do, say, or even look like will matter. Just remember that the only thing that matters is what you think of yourself.

“Just remember that the only thing that matters is what you

think of yourself.”

By: Patricia Adaya

Have you ever been in a situation that you had no control over? There are a lot of things that a person should have control over. One of these things is education. When I was in eighth grade, I had a situation where I felt powerless about my own education. I think that there are some very good teachers and very bad teachers in the district. The district and principal can’t really know if the teacher is a good fit for the students. They’re not the ones sitting through the lectures, the students are. In my algebra class, I had a very bad and unstable teacher. She didn’t teach the material well enough, and it showed in our first district test. Our class had the lowest scores compared to two other algebra classes. I asked the principal many times to switch classes, and despite the test scores my requests were denied. At the end of the school year, many students

just barely passed or failed an entrance exam for the geometry class next year. I feel like there’s no real space for students to talk about academic issues. There is an Academic Council but there’s no follow through with any of our concerns. The school does a great job of supporting non-academic problems. LGBTQ students and supporters are allowed to run an annual day of silence and an assembly to voice their concerns and raise awareness. There’s even a leadership class that holds assemblies, workshops, peer mediation, and other youth empowering activities. So in a way, students are given the support they need emotionally. But when it comes down to our education they don’t give us a voice. When students raise concern to their parents or administration, I feel that they disregard our opinions about education. There’s this idea that young people don’t care about their schooling, that all we do is whine about the work.

But we do care about our education. As young as I am, I still know how important school is for my future. Adults assume that they always know what’s best for us as young students, but we aren’t as helpless as we seem. We know enough about ourselves to make a good decision. Some kids might not think much of this opportunity, but it’s unfair for the rest of us if people think all kids are this way. We understand how lucky we are to go somewhere safe everyday to learn. I sat through a year of bad teaching, and I feel very unsure about next year because of it. I’m able to put these things behind me and get back on track, but I can’t speak for my peers. And at the end of it, all we really wanted was an adult to listen and understand.

By Maya BrooksHEAR ME OUT

I’ve always been a good listener and as long as I can remember my friends felt comfortable sharing their feelings and personal stories with me. It feels good to support someone because I know that they trust me with their personal problems and consider everything I tell them and apply it to what they might be going through. I also enjoy being a listener because it makes me feel like a good person, someone who is considerate and thoughtful of other people. I say this because I haven’t felt like a good person in the past. I’ve expressed my feelings in negative ways. Ways that I’m not particularly proud of, but being able to support my friends now makes that all seem meaningless. It’s nice to feel like a good person.

I have always been the type of person who keeps her feelings inside. It’s hard for me to trust others with my personal problems, which leads me to just keep everything bottled inside. I don’t know why it’s so hard to trust people. Maybe I just feel like they won’t understand or they won’t find interest in my problems. However, this summer, I found out about the Youth Institute and how it was a great opportunity for me to find out more about myself. Abel Castillo is someone that I trust talking to about my secrets, situations, and struggles. During the wilderness retreat we all went hiking and I didn’t want to socialize with anyone. Abel went up to me and said, “I feel like I haven’t had a chance to get to know you,” and I responded, “ Well what do you want to know about me?” from there he supported me when I was telling him about all my personal problems, secrets and what I’ve been through, he did the same as well. When I was finished talking about my personal problems, I felt like I wasn’t alone and that people actually do care about me. Support is such an important thing and feeling support makes me want to support other people who are going through personal struggles and just need someone to talk to.

It’s important to support people through their struggles and everything else. The reason why it’s important to support people is because it means that you are not alone. If people in your group or community don’t know what you are going through it is difficult for them to support you. Yes, it’s hard to share your thoughts or emotions to people, but you have to be strong. Once you are done sharing all of your hardships and struggles you will feel even stronger than before. Hopefully, you will be inclined to listen to other peoples struggles and support them.

By Alejandra Carrillo Hernandez

“Don’t be lazy, walk home” she said. “Ok then don’t be lazy to call mom, you’re stupid”, I said.

I call my sister names like stupid or dummy, I tell her she’s not smart. My sister, Chesline is 1 year and 8 months older

than me. Chesline is quiet and shy and has puffy hair, she wears glasses, she has eczema and asthma and when she was

little she was very ill and almost died.

Chesline and I argue a lot, she never wants me around her, she doesn’t like it when I give her hugs. She’s the middle child, so

that’s probably why my family gangs up on her and tells her how selfish she is, self-centered, imperfect, it seems like they only point

out her mistakes and sometimes they say “why can’t you be like Jasmine”. That makes me feel bad, because I feel so powerless and I

can’t do anything. I like the way Chesline is, I wouldn’t want her to change.

Every time I make chesline laugh I feel like I’ve done my job as a sister. Somehow I think I’ve made her proud of me because even if

she’s sad or upset I found a way to show her I have her back. Having a sister like Chesline, I never feel alone, I have someone who understands

me, and I have someone to talk to about all my problems and girl stuff too. Even though me and Chesline have a hard time together and we

have normal sibling fights, I’m still here for her and I will protect her because she’s my sister and I love her no matter what.

Chesline has this amazing talent that everybody compliments her on, she draws very, and I mean, very well. She’s a self-taught artist and she has been focusing on drawing ever since she was little. She wants to go to OSA, Oakland School of Arts, and focus more on art, and recently she has been doing graffiti and is actually really into it. My family supports her, but they still want her to focus on school. I really wish I could draw like her. Sometimes, I want to be my bigger sister, but she’s Chesline and I’m Jasmine and we’re each different in our own ways. She’s different and unique and I love that about her, I want her to go out in the world and make all her dreams come true. I know she will because it’s her and no matter what, even when my family is down on her, she goes for what she wants. I’m so glad to have a sister like Chesline, because with all her struggles and obstacles she inspires me to go for what I want.

CHESLINE

BY: JASMINE MILLER

My Best Friend

By: Fernando Perez

We met in 6th grade, her name was Annette and she was cool and awesome. I was the ‘weird kid’ and mostly kept to myself, you could call me a loner. Annette was a good friend, an unexpected friend, and we had a lot of fun together. She introduced me to some of her friends, one in particular, Zainab. The three of us would spend a lot of time together and I didn’t feel like a loner anymore. One day, I was feeling sad and angry about some things I was dealing with at home and school and when I feel those emotions I tend to shut people out. Zainab sat down next to me and asked if everything was ok and because I didn’t know how to talk about what I was feeling, I snapped at her and asked her to leave me alone. Zainab was someone new in my life at that point, someone I knew through Annette. When I shut her out that day I didn’t know just how much we had in common. The next day I was feeling stronger and better about my life and I knew I needed to apologize to Zainab. When I went to look for her I found her upset and crying, at first I thought it was because of my actions, but we talked for a while and she told me about the hard things in her life. I could relate to so much of what she said and what she was going through and for the first time I didn’t feel alone.

Eighth grade year was really hard for me and I didn’t feel like I had anyone to talk to about the hard things in my life. What got me through that year were my friendships and the space to share what was happening with me. Friendships have a way of helping you connect with the world around you, they encourage you to explore, to try new things, and look forward to the future. My friend Zainab and I are always doing these things for each other; once I took her to Indian food because she had never tried it and made her ride the bus with me to get outside of her comfort zone. She constantly surprises me with gifts she knows I’ll love like a sketchbook or hair dye spray. But, most importantly what makes her friendship so wonderful and supportive is her love. Friendships have ups and downs, but the thing to remember is that you came together because of things you had in common and you love each other because you go through hard times together and can talk about them, and you stay together because you know how important friendship can be.

My friend Zainab is now one of my closest friends and we have a true friendship where we are there for each other, we make each other laugh, we make each other cry, and we stand up for each other. Zainab is moving soon and this makes me sad because we’re so much in each others lives, but I know that she will be okay and that our friendship will last.

ProcrastinationEveryone has procrastinated at some point in their life. I commonly procrastinate myself. For example, in 8th grade I had to do a paper about a chosen topic about physics. We had to write it in a set of installments which made it harder. There was more room to procrastinate because we were graded on each installment and the duration of writing was longer in between. So on my first installment I didn’t put any effort into it but, I did on the other hand put a great deal of effort into liking pictures on instagram. As soon as I had recieved my graded paper and it had a big fat C-, I realized how bad my habit of procrastinating was at this point. Usually, when I procrastinated it was for house chores. But procrastinating on my school work meant my grades suffered, which had a bad impact on my education! I decided I needed to make a change, so the nights I had to write I would give my phone to my mom to avoid any distractions. This was very helpful for me since my phone was my main partner in crime for procrastination. What are the different flavors of procrastination? I’m not sure what the answer is, or exactly why people procrastinate. In my opinion there are three major types of procrastination: avoidant, thrill seeking, and decisional procrastinators. Avoidant procrastinators are usually harboring the fear of failure and success, so they procrastinate to project the idea that they lack effort and not the actual ability to work. Thrill seeking procrastinators are the type of people who get a sort of rush when waiting until the last

minute and seeing how they’re still able to finish something. Decisional procrastinators are those who have trouble making the decision between doing something now or in 5 minutes. Not making a decision absolves procrastinators of responsibility for the outcome of events. I myself would identify as a thrill seeking procrastinator, because I personally love the rush of getting something done when I’ve put it off for so long. I think its actually more of an achievement for me.

I’m well aware of my habit procrastinating. It’s actually a biblical sin! I think the most disappointing thing about it is the fact that I know what I’m doing. It’s a constant reminder that I’m letting myself down, that I’m not the best that I could be. It’s not easy breaking a bad habit, there’s a reason it’s called a habit. It takes conscious effort and time. Being in the Youth Institute, I’ve had a lot of group work. Realizing that I don’t want to let my group down, I’ve worked hard to not procrastinate on the projects. My career goal is to be an anesthesiologist, and I don’t think they’d appreciate me procrastinating with their lives.

By Alfonce Prince

I have a passion for Taekwondo. The term literally translates to ‘the way of foot and Fist.’ It is a Korean martial art that mixes grabs, takedowns, punching, and kicks. However, there is special attention given to kicks. After being in it for 2 years, I’ve learned about spinning back kicks, flying kicks, wall backflip kicks, tornado kicks, and many other kicks. Any kick in the world and I probably know it. Taekwondo teaches me about self- esteem, discipline, and physical improvement. As a very competitive kid, this is a sport I enjoy and want to stay with until I become my best.

Taekwondo is one of the most popular type of martial arts. It is represented in the Olympics as a competitive sport. It started in Korea and eventually got famous in Japan. It came to America, held in local tournaments. It got big here as well, and is now known worldwide. My first martial art was not Taekwondo, it was actually Karate The teacher was very strict, I never felt included in the class, and I really didn’t like it. My family moved and I had to leave the class, happily. But when I was 11, my mother bought me some Bruce Lee and Jet Li movies. Just seeing the awesome fighting scenes, the fluid kicks, and punches inspired me to do martial arts again. I was excited, and I realized that martial arts is something that I should have persevered in. Unfortunately, at the time, my mother didn’t have enough money due to some marriage issues. So, it wasn’t another year until my brother and I could actually take classes.

My mother put my brother and I into a Taekwondo class. I was shy and so was my brother, it was his first marital class. But my masters were nice, and they really pushed me hard. I was good enough to join a tournament and I had two matches. These matches got me thinking, I only had one chance at winning either fights. This idea that this is the only shot I’ll ever get to win against two random opponents really motivated me. I pushed myself to win and I did. I’m decent at drawing, I have the voice of a dying elephant, and I only know two breakdancing moves. But with Taekwondo, I can express myself. With my hands and feet, I can feel accomplished. Taekwondo challenges me, so in a way I’m competing with myself. I compete with myself to be a better person. And when I do, I feel free.

TAEKWONdO

By:D'von SaNtos

He told me he’ll never let me leave. He said he will be there no matter what. He said he’ll never let me get hurt. He said he loved me ... and he promised! So where is he? That Sunday was a very cold day on the poor streets of New York and the cold burned me like fire. The only thing I had on was a white tank top with grease stains under my breasts, basketball shorts that were too large around my waist, so I had to pull them up every other minute , my sneakers once white, now blacker than a dark hole, my hair was long, red, and tangled and smelled like raw meat, my skin the color of sweet caramel and my eyes big and gray, my front tooth cracked because my family didn’t have enough money to get it fixed. I was ugly and I knew it , but to him I was a rare beauty. He told me to stay and wait at the park. So, I waited - for five whole hours till he arrived.

Forget it he’s not coming. But, he promised. He’s just like my mom, a flake, Papi said you can never trust a snake. But he said ... nevermind what he said! He’s probably somewhere dead.

The car horns honk and people bump past me, no one looks twice at me, I’m just another homeless teen and probably not the first they ever seen.

Where the freak is he? Psh I don’t care where he is. Maybe his car broke down! Yeah that’s it, his car broke down! Nah he lied to me, I need to go back home.

The baby kicked my insides trying to find a soft position on my organs.

UGH I WISH THIS THING WOULD JUST DISAPPEAR! This is his fault. Wait there he is!!! Nevermind that’s not him. I could of sworn I saw his Benz. I’m not waiting anymore, I HATE HIM.

I walk back to my one bedroom apartment to see Papi cooking. I ignore him. I put down my bag and walk to the bathroom, I turn on the water so he doesn’t hear me cry.

He’s gone. No, he probably came back to the park and saw I wasn’t there. Papi was right, I shouldn’t let a guy ruin my life.

Papi knocks on the door and says , “Nina abrir el hes puerta aquí.”

Was Papi for real? Is he really here?

And there he was covered in blood.

He’s here! He came back. He loves me.

I walk over to him and he looks me in the eyes and says “I’m sorry.” I kiss him letting him know I forgive him. “Te amo.” He whispers sweetly in my ear , I wipe his tear and tell him. “I love you too.”

-JoRDaN MaNnInG

{UNSPOKEN LIVES}

Flick the brush slowly on the empty canvasMixing colors with colors waiting for new ones to be madeBlue with green, then that with red...my brush urges for its fixWatch your palette transform into a beautiful colorful concoction

Take a step back to look at the big pictureAnalyze the strokes, the textures, the colorsThen move in closer, approach it for one final touchA signature to culminate the process and finish this piece

Art is a passion, it succeeds to burn brighterArt is a dream, it reveals itself on paperArt is a gift begging to be shared

Drawing day by day, without a minutes delayNew ideas form just begging to be drawnStart with a straight line, you add another, erase your mistakesYou draw and draw and draw until you get it just right

Art is a passion that burns bright A feeling that transcends all others.A prize that is earned as you try over and over again

In my Eyes by Adrianna Blackshire

Best friends are the people you trust when you have to talk to someone about your feelings. Friendship is trust and communication and best friends tend to be the people that you can trust and communicate best with, hence the name. When you first meet someone, you may not know they will end up being your best friend, because it’s not always clear. Sometimes your best friend might be the person you thought you didn’t like at all in the beginning. But, with patience, support, and an open mind a friendship can mature into a best friend. I tell my best friend about life and what’s happening in it, and she tells me the same. I know I can go to her for any problem I have and she won’t judge me. My best friend is Gema Morales. She is funny, she is calm,

she has long straight dark hair, and my favorite thing about her is the advice she gives. Gema understands my weirdness because she’s weird too. She told me once, “Who ever you hate I’ll hate, and who ever I hate you’ll hate.” Gema means a

lot to me, she is more than a best friend, she is like a sister. The day I knew she was going to stay my best friend was the day when everyone was telling her lies about me. At the beginning when the lies started I was scared she was going to choose their side and listen to them. It felt like all the girls just didn’t want me to have any friends. But Gema knew me, she chose me over everybody else. She didn’t believe anything they said and from that day on I considered her like a sister, someone who would always be in my life. My friendship with Gema has taught me to never give up and to stay strong even when things get really bad. Friendships with whomever your friend is, is a very wonderful kind of thing you share with them. Having a best friend means I know I’m never alone, when I walk down

the hallway and I see Gema I know she’ll stop whatever she is doing to talk to me. And friendship goes both ways, I know she’s always there for me when I need to talk and she knows I’m always there for her. We trust each other. A best friend is someone who can understand me more than anyone else, someone who knows my story and where I come from. Gema is my best friend because she’s the first person to really listen to me. Just having that means I can be honest about myself. When I’m with my best friend it doesn’t matter if anyone else is there, it’s like we’re the only ones in the world.

By: Diana Gonzalez

By: Lulani Sudjian

Home is where the heart is. Home is with the ones you love. Sure all of those thing are nice, but I would like to have one place that I could come home to, I would like a place where I could bring my friends over, the same place I would go to sleep in my bed later that day. Most people have a home, and they want to build a family. I already have a family, but what we need is a home, a physical space where me and my family feel safe.

I have called many places my home in my short, but amazing life. House number one was in San Francisco. It was actually my grandmother’s house but she was sick and when I was two months old she passed away and we moved out. Home number two was in Berkeley. It wasn’t exactly a house, it was a complex and I was too young to remember how terrible it was. One night a man ran through our yard being pursued by a cop, both of them with their guns out. Gunshots were fired and we moved. Home number three was in Albany. It was actually a duplex with poppy flowers in the front yard. We had amazing neighbors who we had Thanksgiving with every year. Then my little brother Zorion was born and Dzia following him. The house was too crowded. Eight people were living in a two bedroom. We had to move. Home number four was a huge house with five bedrooms, two bathrooms and a wonderful backyard, but the house was foreclosed and we had to move. Home number four was probably my favorite, and that’s why it was so hard to leave it. We moved into number four when I was five. My parents bought it and it was the first house we had owned as a family. It was in the Richmond hills, so far away from everything and I had always hated that

but now thinking back I loved it. Being away from Berkeley and

the city made it so that me and my little brother and sister would explore. We found out about secret blackberry bushes that were delicious in the summer and how to catch crickets in the spring. It’s where I first learned how to ride a bike without training wheels and where I had my first crush. I had seven birthdays in that house and life was great but then things went downhill. The roof started to leak to the point where there were holes in the ceiling and buckling floorboards.One day we came home from school and there was a note on the door. It was a foreclosure notice. Over the next month I could tell my mom was stressing out about where we would live next. When we thought all hope was lost, we saw that our old house in Albany was up for rent. We moved in without hesitation and that is where we reside to this day.

So yes a home needs certain things, like the people you love, but it is always nice to know that there is a place where you belong, a place that will always be a safe haven.This is why it was so hard for me to move so frequently. I didn’t really feel like I belonged anywhere. When people ask me where I’m from I never have an answer. Do I say where I was born? Do I say where I go to school? Or is it where I live at the time? I want a place where I belong. Someplace where my emotions are safe. A family is to make memories, but home is a place to store those memories. When you look around your house you remember silly stories about the time that he did this or she did that. I’ve got the family, and memories, I just need a place to put it.

By Yessenia Sanchez

Having a voice means being able to stand up and express yourself. The lack of a voice increases the amount of problems in someone’s life because the person may appear weak and people may take advantage of them. I never really stood up for myself and that made me feel like I was helpless. I was scared that if I did stand up for myself my dreams would be shut down like they have always been. One day I found myself wanting to dance at church really badly. For me, church dancing was and is an escape from feeling helpless. I wanted to dance at church because I had a bad history with other dance classes. At church I felt like nobody was going to shoot me down, I felt accepted by God. Dancing was what I felt would be the first passion/dream I could have if I spoke up for myself. The time came to tell my parents about my passion and show them what I could do. But, I didn’t have the confidence to voice my love for dancing, instead I chose to tell my friend about my situation. My friend, Diana, was someone I respected and felt was really confident and I wanted to know how she did it. She showed me that it takes a hunger or desire to accomplish something. She shared with me that if I wanted something badly enough, more than I wanted to breath then my voice would be heard. She said,

“Don’t let your dreams just be dreams, make them your voice and stage.” After

that, I told my parents about wanting to dance at church. It was an expensive activity so I really had to argue with my parents in order for me go through with my dream of dancing at church. This had been the first time I stood up for something against my parents. I used my voice to continue something I loved. Having a voice is taking your stage and standing up for yourself. How will you use your stage to express yourself, how will you be heard? If

you asked me now why dreams and voices are ignored I would come to a conclusion and tell you that a voice and dream are ignored because the desire in a person is poor. To have a voice be heard you must want it bad enough as if you wanted it more than you wanted to breathe. Having a dream you don’t pursue is like asking

for your dream and voice to be ignored, so stop saying “I wish” and start saying “I will” and chase your dreams because if you dream and believe you will succeed and be heard.

By Mikaila Mason

One thing that I’m really embarrassed to admit, is that my first concert was Chaka Khan. Chaka Khan is this really great R&B singer from back in the day, and my grandmother used to love her. For her birthday one year my mom decided that she wanted to get my grandma tickets to her concert. She asked me if I wanted to go and of course I said yes, because I was 10 and I wasn’t going to miss my chance to go to any concert. So we went, and I remember I wasn’t really into her music and I didn’t know the words to any of the songs, but I still stood in the balcony with my mom and grandma clapping and humming along to every song. It was so much fun and even though it wasn’t my kind of music, I’m so glad I got the opportunity to go.

I grew up watching a lot of my family singing and listening to gospel and R&B, specifically my mom. I’ve always thought she was an amazing singer, and I’m pretty sure she passed on some of her talent to me. I mean, I’m no Beyoncé and I wouldn’t really want to make a career out of singing, but I can hold a note. Once I even wrote a song,

well, half of one. I couldn’t finish it. It was just a generic love song, a series of I love yous and I miss yous, that didn’t really have a deeper meaning. I listen to one of my favorite bands, the 1975, because their songs tell stories and in a way their lyrics are like poetry, even without the melody and the music, their words still capture me. My kind of music, is music with content. Music that is relatable, music that can distract you from whatever you’re going through, music that can help you through whatever problems you’re having, music that is more than just a repeat of the same line for three minutes.

For me music is almost like a lifeline. It’s what I can always turn to if I need to cry or smile or even laugh. Music allows me to be alone when I’m not. By that I mean, even when I’m in a situation where I’m surrounded by people, I can just put my earphones in and forget about everyone and everything around me. Listening to people’s stories and being able to relate is comforting, and can make me feel less alone. So in the same way music can be an escape for me, it also provides me comfort and company. Over the years my interest in music has grown. I’ve heard and been affected by so much and I don’t think I’d be the person I am today without the help of music and my experiences with it. It is a huge part of my life. Because, at least for me, music is more than just entertainment.

If we fall, we fall together, pick each other up in the cold hard weather

CLASS LOGO AND QUOTE

YOUTH INSTITUTE

CLASS OF 2014

On behalf of the sta� and students of the YMCA Berkeley Youth Institute. we would like to thank all the individuals and organizations who have

contributed to making this program a success. Without their support this program would not be possible.

Thank you to our donors:

Alameda Country Center for Healthy Schools and CommunitiesBank of the West

The Berkeley Alliance California Emerging Technology Fund

YMCA of Greater Long Beach

Thank You to the Board of Directors for the YMCA of the Central Bay Area:

Jim CollierDavid Deutscher

Eric EisenbergCraig Fendel

Mary FriedmanJack GardnerAngie Garling

Tim HasslerErin Hill-FreschiChristy Kaplan

Tony KallingalKen Kuchman

Tom Ratcli�Chaud RichardsSusan ShieldsDarrell Sooy

Dr. Nancy SpaethEric Stern

Ryan SvobodaAndy Williams

To the many people and organizations that referred youth and supported the recruitment e�ort, we thank you.

Camille GerminalMaya Brooks

Yessenia SanchezAlex Mendoza-Cordero

Kimberly SolisFinn Meza

Leandro GonzalesAlfonce PrinceAndrew ErbachDaniel Gonzalez

Navjot BalAdrianna Blackshire

Atzin Trigueros Alejandra Carrillo Hernandez

D’von SantosDiana GonzalezJordan Manning

Lulani Sudjian-LampkinJasmine Miller

Fernando PerezManuel Monteso

Lucy WallTala David-Casiano

Makeda TuckerMikayla Manson

Sir James RobisonPatricia Mae Adayo

Steaven Beard

Gianni PinaMalina King

Christopher DeLaTorreChesline Miller

Tarik Brooks

Stephane Munoz-GuzmanXavier Anderson Villaluz

Erika LopezHector Munoz-Guzman

Midori Thrower

New Class

Alumni

Sta�

Program Director

Abel CastilloDiego Mendoza-Cordero

John Oliver Santiago Zachary Haywood

Pegah Rahmanian

CONTRIBUTORS:

On behalf of the sta� and students of the YMCA Berkeley Youth Institute. we would like to thank all the individuals and organizations who have

contributed to making this program a success. Without their support this program would not be possible.

Thank you to our donors:

Alameda Country Center for Healthy Schools and CommunitiesBank of the West

The Berkeley Alliance California Emerging Technology Fund

YMCA of Greater Long Beach

Thank You to the Board of Directors for the YMCA of the Central Bay Area:

Jim CollierDavid Deutscher

Eric EisenbergCraig Fendel

Mary FriedmanJack GardnerAngie Garling

Tim HasslerErin Hill-FreschiChristy Kaplan

Tony KallingalKen Kuchman

Tom Ratcli�Chaud RichardsSusan ShieldsDarrell Sooy

Dr. Nancy SpaethEric Stern

Ryan SvobodaAndy Williams

To the many people and organizations that referred youth and supported the recruitment e�ort, we thank you.

Camille GerminalMaya Brooks

Yessenia SanchezAlex Mendoza-Cordero

Kimberly SolisFinn Meza

Leandro GonzalesAlfonce PrinceAndrew ErbachDaniel Gonzalez

Navjot BalAdrianna Blackshire

Atzin Trigueros Alejandra Carrillo Hernandez

D’von SantosDiana GonzalezJordan Manning

Lulani Sudjian-LampkinJasmine Miller

Fernando PerezManuel Monteso

Lucy WallTala David-Casiano

Makeda TuckerMikayla Manson

Sir James RobisonPatricia Mae Adayo

Steaven Beard

Gianni PinaMalina King

Christopher DeLaTorreChesline Miller

Tarik Brooks

Stephane Munoz-GuzmanXavier Anderson Villaluz

Erika LopezHector Munoz-Guzman

Midori Thrower

New Class

Alumni

Sta�

Program Director

Abel CastilloDiego Mendoza-Cordero

John Oliver Santiago Zachary Haywood

Pegah Rahmanian

CONTRIBUTORS:

youth in•sti•tute:\yüth\ • \in(t)-ste-tüt-tyüt\nounThe Berkeley Youth Institute is a youth development, digital media arts, project centered program. Using service learning, storytelling, job readiness, and community based strategies YI aims to foster a safe, healing, and transformative journey for young people; guiding them through a rite of passage into adulthood. Through a technology lens the YI encourages youth to cultivate imagination and curiousity, act in cooperation, and harness a passion for learning. Equipping them with the tools of resilience, reflection, relationship, and a tangible understanding of citizenship; youth conclude their time with the Youth Institute leaving behind a legacy and moving into opportunity.