

Paperback
Overview
Kat Secaida, wearing white Converse sneakers, wanders through her hood, collecting "the stories of the Culver City projects." Julian Izaguirre recalls the drama at school that starts "when you don't want it to." The young artists and poets in Dear Friends, the eighth anthology from POPS the Club-a nonprofit serving youth impacted by the Pain of the Prison System-forged their work largely during the pandemic and in isolation. Though they were separated by screens from friends, teachers, counselors, and peers, their work still brims with hope and curiosity. It is searing, straightforward, sensitive, and sometimes startling in its wisdom and honesty. Mikey Estrada writes that he is "a kid who likes to read and learn… a kid who grew up in violence and in gangs... where others were waiting for me to fail." Instead, this volume speaks of these students' success and of all they have to teach us. This collection represents the work of students from California, Georgia, New York, and Pennsylvania.
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Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781952197123 |
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Publisher: | Out of the Woods Publishing |
Publication date: | 04/12/2022 |
Pages: | 232 |
Product dimensions: | 5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d) |
Age Range: | 12 - 17 Years |
About the Author
POPS the Club is a nonprofit [501(c)(3)] designed to provide support to youth whose lives have been impacted by incarceration. The organization creates and sustains middle- and high-school-based clubs across the country for this long-ignored population.
Table of Contents
My Earth Nathalie Gonzalez vi
Introduction Arielle Harris Valeria De La Torre xiii
Dear Friends Kennedy King xvi
Six-Word Memoir Lucy Rodriguez xvii
Dear Friend Kamari Griffin xviii
Dear Friend Kamari Griffin xix
Our Hoods
Ice Kennedy King 2
I Come From: POPS the Club members 3
Walks in the Hood Kat Secaida 5
From West Los to Crenshaw Julian Izaguirre 6
From West Los to Crenshaw drawing Julian Izaguirre 8
Shoes Nick Griffin Quay Boddie 9
The American Poems Nathalie Gonzalez 11
Untitled Nathalie Gonzalez 13
First Generation Kat Secaida 14
I Miss You, Venice High School Donaji Garcia 16
Our Humility
Portrait of Joshua Rah-San Bailey 20
My Portrait by Rah-San Bailey Joshua Francis 21
Six-Word Memoir Lucy Rodriguez 22
My Higher Self Joslyn Stevenson 23
I Am Carlos Aragon 24
About Me Jesus Saldan 25
Stranger to Self Rinah Gallo 26
Blue and Untrue Nathalie Gonzalez 27
Character and Reputation Hugo Sanchez 28
Confusion Imari Stevenson 30
My Life as a Metaphor Nathalie Gonzalez 31
Self-Portrait Rah-San Bailey 32
Self-Portrait Poem Rah-San Bailey 33
Our Homies
On the Road Kennedy King 36
Six-Word Memoir Phil America 37
Sneaky John Rodriguez 38
Between Friends Donaji Garcia Brianna Carrington Myricks 41
Dear Friend Alberyonna Varner 48
Radiant Love Joslyn Stevenson 49
Dear Friend Will Barrett 50
Dear Friend Lzyah 50
Dear Friend Stormy 51
Dear Friend Deuce 52
Dear Friend Niyah 52
Dear Friend Xavious "Xae" Anderson 53
Dear Friend Jada Burden 54
Untitled Nathalie Gonzalez 55
Dear Friend Makayla Rippy 56
Dear Friend Kelly Braswell 56
Dear Friend Kieron Pope 56
Dear Friend Kiera Trone 57
Dear Friend Abi McGownse 57
Our Homes
Salcura Nathalie Gonzalez 60
Six-Word Memoir Donaji Garcia 61
Wearing Huaraches on the Other Side of the Rio Grande Donaji Garcia 62
Song of the Day Rinah Gallo 69
Home Valeria De La Torre 70
Canopy Kennedy King 71
Atrapasueños Entrelazados Dalias y Amapolas de California Donaji Garcia 72
No Home Nathalie Gonzalez 77
Our Honesty
Untitled Nathalie Gonzalez 80
Introduction and Poem Mia Anju Violet Fox-Pitts 81
Start Nathalie Gonzalez 84
Life in the Valley Mikey Eliott Estrada 85
Four Poems Nathalie Gonzalez 87
The Song Riva Goldman 89
Disgusting Jessica De La Mora 92
Juice x Kid Laroi, POPS Song John Bembry 95
Our Happiness
Turning Head Rinah Gallo 98
Six-Word Memoir Lucy Rodriguez 99
Graffiti Soma Faye 100
What Is Beauty? Rinah Gallo 102
Pain(t)-Nick Griffin 103
Form One Rinah Gallo 104
Form Two Rinah Gallo 105
Happy Nathalie Gonzalez 106
Our Hearts
Self-Portrait Rinah Gallo 108
My Skin. My Colors. Rinah Gallo 109
Dear Friend Kat Secaida 111
Friends Forever Justin Casteneda 114
I Love You Imari Stevenson 115
Dear Friend Sky Reid 116
Two Months/Two Poems Imari Stevenson 117
To Whom This May Concern Anonymous 118
Dear Dance: Kobe Bryant Tribute Leahnora Castillo 121
Misfortunate Heart Nathalie Gonzalez 124
His Tattoos Kat Secaida 125
2013 Angela De La Cruz 126
Our Hunger
For the Girl That Missed Christmas Nathalie Gonzalez 132
Six-Word Memoir Brianna Carrington Myricks 133
My Stolen Time Polina Asaulyuk 134
Note to God Jessica De La Mora 135
Beautiful Mask Angel Lopez 137
Eating Tyanni Gomez 138
Our Health
Blooms Kennedy King 140
Especially Aaron Riveros 141
Dear Friend Jaylynn "One Jay" Nelms 143
Lost in My Head Imari Stevenson 144
Absorption Holland Capps 145
What I Never Said: 2018 Tyanni Gomez 147
LEAP Milena Bennett 151
PrisonPandemic: The Interviews 153
Our Healing
Colorless Stress Nathalie Gonzalez 160
Heartbeats Calm Me Down Tyanni Gomez 161
Passive passion Nick Griffin 162
Cloud Phenomenal Woman Leilani Perez 163
Lil Grosero Julian Izaguirre 164
Letter to Lil Grosero Julian Izaguirre 165
Me in Solitude Nathalie Gonzalez 167
For the Love of a Daughter Tyanni Gomez 168
Waves Rinah Gallo 169
The Flower and the Castle Leahnora Castillo 170
Light and Dark Nathalie Gonzalez 171
Our Hopes
Unforget Nathalie Gonzalez 174
Jaguar Cologne Eddie Curiel 175
POPS Meaning John Bembry 176
Flight Rah-San Bailey 177
Where Odds Are Stacked for Us Nathalie Gonzalez 178
Dear Hope Polina Asaulyuk 179
Self-Portrait Rafael Winge (Ren) 180
Stone Although Gold Nathalie Gonzalez 181
Untitled Gigi Duarte 182
I Wrestle Alba Navas 183
Stories Left Unfinished John Bembry 184
Dear Friend Nyla Griffin 188
Dear Friend Nyla Griffin 188
Epilogue Nigel L. Walker 189
Author/Artist Bios 191
Acknowledgments 203
Flower in Hand Kennedy King 207