New York State Literary Center

Born and Raised in the Roc

Monroe County Jail

2011

Dale Davis, Founder and Executive Director of NYSLC, adapted the writing of the incarcerated youth with whom she worked at Monroe County Jail in 2011 to create Born and Raised in The Roc.

INTRODUCTION TO BORN AND RAISED IN THE ROC

The world’s seeing me looking in the mirror,

Images of me getting much clearer.

Dear Self I wrote a letter just to better my soul.

If I don’t express it, then forever I’ll hold it inside

I’m from a side where we’re out of control.

My story’s like yours, yo it gotta be told.

Common “A Dream.” 2007.

January 2011

January 1, 2011 - Thomas S. Richards sworn in as Mayor of Rochester

Rochester’s first homicide

January 8, 2011 - In Tucson, Arizona a gunman opened fire at a constituent meeting led by

US Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Fourteen were injured, including Giffords, and six were

killed

January 10, 2011 - Former Republican United States House of Representatives Majority

Leader Tom DeLay sentenced to three years in prison for money laundering

Dale Davis

INTRODUCTION TO BORN AND RAISED IN THE ROC

2011, how do I make sense of it all? I do what I do to keep myself out of all the bull. It’s too much out in the world right now. Everybody is dying or in jail.

I don’t do anything. I keep to myself.

The world won’t stop, but the crime just has to stop. I want to stop waking up with my mom

telling me one of my best mans got shot.

It hurts every night to keep myself off the whole idea that I am back in jail. I told myself that

during the summer of 2011 I was going to inspire my brothers and stay out of jail.

FROM THE SCRIPT BORN AND RAISED IN THE ROC

Me, pain is something that

runs deep inside me like family roots.

I don’t know my family.

My mom was adopted.

My dad walked out on me when I was four,

so I never got to know my dad’s side of the family.

I’m stuck in the world alone.

I don’t know where I come from.

I don’t know

my family line or the roots.

I wish I did.

It’s so hard

not knowing who is your cousin, or your uncle, or your aunt.

Could I have met some

of my family, and I just didn’t know?

Who am I?

What I do know is on Halloween of 09 my best friend was walking down the street to go home. I was at his house waiting for him. When he got around the corner from his house, an all Black F-150 truck hit and ran over my best friend and killed him. I had heard the big “BANG.” It almost sounded like a gunshot. Then I heard another little “BANG” that sounded like a firecracker. I didn’t think anything of it though, and I just thought it was some kids playing around with firecrackers on Halloween.

It was November 1st 2009 the day that my best friend passed. I remember that day like it was yesterday. This is a day in all my years of living that I will never forget.

I miss him. I will never forget him.

I’m moving too fast.

I hope that I won’t crash.

I look at my demons in the face.

My heart has no more space.

. . . .

Me, my life isn't easy. Tell me is it easy when your parents have drink after drink? How does it get easy when you know there’s going to be a fight, and all you can think of is making sure you and your family survive that one night.

People don't care about us in these cells. People don’t care we are going through hell. It seems like no one cares what happens to us.

I went to school and never fit in. It seemed right when I gave up in the end. Then my world stopped spinning and I just wanted to make it spin.

I have a child on the outside.

How do I fix this?

How do I find my way?

This is one question I ask every day.

. . . .

Rochester, New York among the least stressful places in the country. Not in my world. Come to the ghetto where there are shootings every night and you can’t walk down the street without looking behind your back every second thinking someone is going to get up on you.

Rochester, New York where some kids have nothing to lose. Rochester, New Yok where kids have to hustle because parents do nothing for them. Rochester, New York where your friends can turn on you at any second. Rochester, New York where young people have babies. Rochester, New York where young people call gangs their families because they don’t have any real families.

I want to blank out what is going on around me, arguing with my mom, money problems. I am in pain. I just want to feel good.

. . . .

I want a life

I can say I was proud of,

not a normal one,

an extraordinary one,

one

somebody will remember.