Us Writers
Poems and Stories by Imani House Kids at PS 282
1 ny writers coalition press
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Us Writers Fall/Spring 2007
Poems and Stories by the Imani House Kids at PS 282
NY Writers Coalition Press
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Copryright Š 2007 NY Writers Coalition Inc. Upon publication, copyright to individual works returns to the authors. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Editors: Erin Hopkins, Nancy L. Weber Layout: Nancy L. Weber Drawings: Imani House Kids Cover: Kayla Baptiste Us Writers contains writing by the Fall/Spring 2007 members of the NY Writers Coalition creative writing workshops conducted at PS 282 in Park Slope, Brooklyn. The workshops are part of the Imani House after-school program, which provides cultural activities and educational support to youth in the community. NY Writers Coalition Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that provides free and low-cost creative writing workshops throughout New York City for people from groups that have been historically deprived of voice in our society. For more information about NY Writers Coalition Inc.: NY Writers Coalition Inc. 80 Hanson Place, #603 Brooklyn, NY 11217 (718) 398-2883 info@nywriterscoalition.org www.nywriterscoalition.org
Imani House, Inc. (IHI) is a community based multi-cultural organization that provides programs, services and hope to many immigrants, youth and low-income residents of the area. For more information about Imani House, visit www.imanihouse.org or e-mail imani@imanihouse.org.
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Introduction I have been fortunate to get to know a handful of students who, over the past school year, chose not to spent their Friday afternoons playing Xbox. They chose not to hang upside down on the monkey bars or play basketball. Instead they were inside, in the classroom on Friday afternoons, with only a notebook, a pencil, and their imagination. Despite these seemingly great acts of restraint and self control, these are not the virtues I most admire in these young writers. In reflecting back on the last nine months I’ve spent with these seventeen writers, one word keeps bubbling up over and over again in my head. These writers are fearless. Eagerly they listened each week to the writing prompts I presented before dragging their notebooks off to the tiny tables in our room. Sometimes they scribbled away in silence; other times they surprisingly created interesting and thoughtful writing amidst whispers, laughter and other interruptions. Lacking the self consciousness and doubt we acquire with age, they wrote freely and bravely. At times their writing caused me to double over in laughter, while other times left me with goosebumps. Their unique viewpoints surprised me again and again. These writers both kept me sane, and drove me crazy. I can’t say for which I am more thankful. Quite a few people have worked hard to make this workshop and book a success. At Imani House 5
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thanks to Akua Ishangi and Hakim Williams, and the two group leaders Jazmin McCain and Pamela Morgan, who assisted each week in running the workshop. Pamela continued writing each week long after I left, and a few pieces included here were created under her guidance. Big thanks to Nancy Weber at NY Writers Coalition for the hours of thoughtful time spent editing this book, in addition to the giant continued support she’s offered this past year. And thank you Aaron Zimmerman, NY Writers Coalition’s Executive Director, for creating the space for these writers to be heard. Erin Hopkins May 2007
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THE TURTLE EYES ICE CREAM KAYLA BAPTISTE, AGE 6 A turtle ate some ice cream and one day a boy caught him and the boy said, Come back here turtle, I want my ice cream back. And the turtle wouldn’t give it back so the boy got a net. And he couldn’t catch him still, but he kept on trying. But he still couldn’t catch it. Then he went home and said I will try again tomorrow. And then the next day he tried and tried again but he still couldn’t catch it so he said just forget about it so he went and bought a new ice cream. And he never got it out of his sight. The end.
EYES KAYLA BAPTISTE My grandma’s eyes are brown and light skin My mommy’s eyes look dark and funny My sister’s eyes are puffy just like mine My dad’s eyes are very dark and black My auntie’s eyes look very very very light
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PEOPLE KAYLA BAPTISTE Why do people have two hands? My hands are small Your hands are big I wonder why that is?
UNTITLED KAYLA BAPTISTE Being alone make me sad Being mean makes me mad When I see you cry it makes me sad Give me a smile and I will be glad
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ROLLER COASTER TANZANIA COLEMAN, AGE 9 If I made up a ride it would probably be about a roller coaster. It would be in the dark and the seat would light up. And at the end there would be a space where you get off and there would be a slide for you to slide down the slide would go straight turn loop and you would swim for 5 minutes and then get out.
SPICY DEEP FRIED GUMMY MICE TANZANIA COLEMAN 5 to 10 mice (dead) 2 eyeballs 6 gummy worms 9 ounces of dirt 6 cups of blood yuck 100 boxes of hot sauce 2 gallons of spit 1 ounces of hair balls 1 pt full of water salt 8 cups of snot Let the pot of water boil, put the gummy worms in pieces. Let the water sit in 36 degrees, drop 2 gallons of spit. Add the chop blood and enjoy. 10
MY ODE TO FALL (OH APPLE PIE) TANZANIA COLEMAN Oh apple pie why are you so yummy? every time I smell you being made I smell hot cooked apples. The yummy crusted nice hot delicious and not burnt. The stuff between the apple looks like yellowish slime between some lime. Going into my tummy it’s so sad you’re so yummy!
MH’EM TANZANIA COLEMAN nice funny crazy friend fun, short, loves chicken good friend all the time always always you were always there for me eats chips skinny, talkative, chewable gullible, loves drawing
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FROM TANZANIA COLEMAN I am from Brooklyn’s concrete streets If I never walk around these concrete streets I would never ever ever ever ever be me I’m from Methodist Hospital, I have many different friendships crying babies, people screaming and doctors working I’m also a stray cat looking for mice and wondering around. Life dreams go by really fast even when you have somebody close. It’s like I was a sand castle being washed away by this ocean.
WHAT I NEVER SAW JOSHUA DELANEY, AGE 10 I never saw a bird sing But it flies I never saw a hotel fly But it clean
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I never saw a crocodile in real life not on T.V. But I know they love to eat everything I never saw a fly eat a spider But spider eats flies
FUNNY DOG GUM JOSHUA DELANEY I wish I could talk to a dog because I want to say ha champ do you have gum? If you do I’m going to rob you like crazy. Peace man see you in 80 years. If I can’t, say, bye, sorry.
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A BOY WHO DROPPED A PRETZEL ON HIS HEAD JOSHUA DELANEY Once there was a boy named Eric. He always played football with his friends. But he and his family went on a vacation. It was called the Pretzel Land. It was very fun there. The rides were eatable. But the boy wanted to go and he wanted to stay. But he said, ok I will go only if I get an eatable football. He couldn’t get on any of the rides. He was too short. So he got mad and he kicked a pretzel tree. Then the pretzel hit him up side his head. Then he said, oh who throw that! Then he looked at the tree and said you are going to buy me a new brain. Then he looked at the pretzel and it looked like a coconut. Then he said I could have fun without going on rides. So when they were leaving he was kind of mad but he said, I am going to have more fun at the place I came from. I’m going to tell all my friends what I did at Pretzel Land. The next time Eric go he said that he is going to take his camera with him. When they come out the photo store he is going to show his friend. Then he will put it on his arm and act like it is a tattoo. Then the ones he has left over he will put them on the wall for memories.
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WINTER JOSHUA DELANEY Winter, Winter Why are you so cold? Why are snow flakes so beautiful? Snow flakes taste very fresh. People like the snow flakes falling It is like its Christmas. Snow you are so shiny in different ways. Why are you so sparkly? Why you so tiny?
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NOW I AM KOFI DINIZULU, AGE 9 Now I am mad Now I am tired of people lying and or teasing me. Now I am sad Now I wish I was home Now I am tired of doing work Now I am tired of school Now I am tired of feeling like a little scab that you pluck away Now I am feeling like I’m gonna run away Where will I go? To Queens, to my Dad’s house if I don’t stop feeling so miserable. I wish I was somewhere the breeze is nice Where there is never a tease or lie There is only fun games and happiness Where I have something to go to when I am not feeling right.
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PANDA OSOSE EBESUNUN, AGE 8 Panda Playful, Nice Hunting, Eating, Playing Playful with other People Bear
AN ODE TO SNOW OSOSE EBESUNUN Why don’t you come every day? Soft and clean while falling from the sky When you go away I can’t stop thinking about you It’s worse than a test when you stop falling from above Why are you so fun to me and my friends?
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LAMB OSOSE EBESUNUN Young sheeps are called lambs. They’re not champs of running. They’re not showing, shunning around with friends, Soaring, wait, they can’t fly. They’re like weeds in a tree. They can’t walk right. I know they can do it flowers in the breeze can not fix them. I know like breeze they are free to roam anywhere they please. I don’t know if where they please is to be under trees. Away from the breeze
WHAT I HEAR OSOSE EBESUNUN When I close my eyes I hear peace and quiet but wait there’s some noise banging screaming zippers rattling movement chairs tapping books whispering
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IN THE SUMMER AUTUMN FRASER, AGE 7 The sun is rising in the sky it’s very cold outside why is the slide cold? it’s Beautiful outside and Nice and Warm and hot We can play outside in the park in the summer go to the beach in the sand.
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A DRAGON FOUND GOLD AUTUMN FRASER One day a dragon found gold. He was happy. A queen called him and he came. She said, “What’s that?” The dragon said, “Gold.” Then the queen called the king. The king came and stood by the dragon. She said that the dragon have gold. The queen have magic.
ALL ABOUT SHAPES AUTUMN FRASER A sun is round like a circle A yellow paint is bright like a light Rain is wet like a water fall Floor is shape like a chess board A bear is soft like a dog A mouse look like a rat A green crayon shape like green grass
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UNTITLED AUTUMN FRASER I will talk to an alligator. I will ask an alligator why you eat a monkey when monkeys are cute and soft? You are a bad Alligator. Swim somewhere else. I don’t care Alligator go away. I don’t like you, mean alligator. I will kill an alligator.
SEPTEMBER NOAH FYFFE, AGE 8 September, September a good month and that is when Labor Day is and that is when School starts and when my school starts it is a half day.
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CANDY CORN NOAH FYFFE My candy smells fresh My candy feels soft The candy has a good taste And the candy corn is crunchy I like how it tastes.
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SCHOOL NOAH FYFFE School, school, school So much work to do like reading math s.s. s. too much work and losing recess because kids being bad and not doing your work.
EMBARRASSED AVERY GARCIA, AGE 8 tastes like Oreos feels like a horrible happening smells like bad luck looks like a red cheeked face sounds like kids laughing
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BROOKLYN’S CONCRETE STREETS AVERY GARCIA I am from Brooklyn’s concrete streets If I never walked down these concrete streets I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever be me. I am my best friend, going in and out of friendships being myself at times at times not being myself I am from Long Island College Hospital babies and babies and babies each day With sick people and dying people each day Each day, sickness is around I am a pizza waiting to be eaten by a big girl named Avery I am Me sitting, waiting to be called on to read my piece.
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CANDY-COATED ROACHES AVERY GARCIA 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8)
10 roaches (dead) 2 pounds of spit 1 gallon of vampire blood 10 liters of roach candy bowl whisk a French arm sticks (not from nature’s ground)
1) Put the ten roaches on the sticks. 2) Mix the spit, vampire blood, and the roach candy in the bowl with the whisk. 3) Soak the roaches in the mix. 4) Make holes in the French arm 5) Stick the roaches in the arm 6) Sell for $5 each and have scary Halloween
MY MIDDLE NAME AVERY NICOLE GARCIA Not such a bad sport Inquisitive Cookie-eater Open-Hearted Likes cake and cupcakes Energetic
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ROLLER-COASTER DIE AVERY GARCIA If I made a Roller Coaster And I really wish I do I will make sure The only one is you High, Upside down to the sky Turn around This ride is scary It makes me feel that way You might even get scared too! God, don’t make me die this day! All my hair fell off My body has collapsed And I’m so really, really scared That I hold on to a guy named Matt Please pay attention Oh please, oh please, oh please In a little while You’ll get off Scary Keys made out of Chinese Cheese that’s Siamese cheese
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THINGS THAT START WITH Y DANTE HAGOOD, AGE 9 I like yogurt, I like yellow, I hate egg yolk. People call me youngster. Yesterday my class had a fire drill I felt like yelling because we have one like everyday My teacher said you’ll get in trouble if you speak after the fire drill a woman said your class was excellent when we went back to the class I yawned. The teacher said you all have your first comment.
WHAT I DO AFTER SCHOOL DANTE HAGOOD Everyday I come home I go straight to my PlayStation, cut NBA live 2K7. When I finally start to play my mom stops me and tells me “do your ed helper packet.” I get mad, pause my game and go to do my packet. I was stalling. When I look at the clock it’s seven thirty. I rush. When I’m done I give my packet to my mom. I cut basketball game on and she checks it and when she sees I got some wrong she calls me during the game. I go fix my answers and I watch the game and the day ends happily.
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UNTITLED DANTE HAGOOD Dear Eggnog, why do you taste so good why are you so liquid why do you look like cocoa butter why can’t you come in a gallon so I can save you for tomorrow why do you taste like Butter Pecan Ice Cream. I love Eggnog. It tastes like melted Butter Pecan Ice Cream. Every holiday I wish we can drink Eggnog. The only holiday I drink it on is Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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LEAVES CHANGING DANAE JARVIS, AGE 8 Why do your leaves change Why does the wind blow so hard Jack-o-lanterns everywhere falling leaves making trees empty The air makes my nose cold Why is your wind so cold You can smell winter coming
OLD WORLD DANAE JARVIS old-fashioned is the old world old time often says ok off-the high offices off-shore is the place you often go
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THE KILLER COASTER DANAE JARVIS Your ride on it horrifying Ghosts and Goblins come out to play they drink your blood you get off the ride as a witch or vampire They wander around to look for more kids They get all of them and gather them up and by midnight the spell was on the kids forever and they tore down the town and nobody heard of the town or the people that lived there
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DRUMS DANAE JARVIS Dear Danae, The drums are beat to death. They’re complaining about their tops. Their tops hurt very bad. They have to be taken to the hospital. They are going to be stitched up. So please pretty pretty pretty please stop drumming on them for a whole hour every day just give it a rest.
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P.S. Now that you stopped drumming the drums have been so well you will be able to play next week ok!
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BUTTER TOAST JAMAL MITCHELL, AGE 8 I like butter toast feel free to fly in the air Today is Friday
NIGHTMARE CAKE JAMAL MITCHELL 1. Five dead rats and mice 2. one dead spider 3. Ten cut heads 4. add flour with blood 5. Then add 20 vampire teeth 6. add 1,000 hairballs 7. add 1 1/2 teaspoons of blood 8. Then mix it up and put it in the stove then look at it when it turns in to a nightmare cake.
TURKEY JAMAL MITCHELL the turkey smells fresh the turkey looks very sweet the turkey feels very good 34
CRANBERRY JAMAL MITCHELL cranberry, cranberry cranberry so tasty so red so small it can fit in your mouth it looks like a ball smells fresh and clean cranberries are small
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CHEETAH SIMONE OJEIKERE, AGE 7 Cheetah Sharp Teeth Running, killing, roaring Cheetah has black spots
UNTITLED SIMONE OJEIKERE There once was a Table Laugher who went to Six Flags. When he got there Six Flags was not open ‘til 8 o’clock. When it was 7 o’clock the Table Laugher was hungry, so he went to the store and bought a snack. At 8 o’clock the Table Laugher went inside Six Flags and went on a roller coaster and started laughing when he saw a man with a bald head and underwears in his hand. When the Table Laugher went off the ride he teased the man with the bald head and laughed. When the Table Laugher got home he watched T.V. When he saw the funny part he laughed to death. The end!
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CHRISTMAS SIMONE OJEIKERE How many days ‘til Christmas? What a big Christmas tree. It is snowing outside. I am going to sleep. Is it Christmas today?
TEN THINGS ABOUT MY DAD SEAN PHILLIP, AGE 10 1 Talks a lot 2 Cooks Good 3 likes music 4 likes football 5 plays basketball 6 likes art 7 has 5 football jerseys 8 likes video games 9 likes going to the park 10 Goes to my practice
Angry SEAN PHILLIP Angry sounds noisy because people are arguing. Angry sounds hurtful when you’re fighting. Angry smells like smoke. Angry looks fiery. 37
UNTITLED SEAN PHILLIP Smart Entertaining A Nice Person Not Mean
THE DIRTY TABLES SEAN PHILLIP Why do the teachers in school like to eat and leave my table dirty you’ve got older kids talking about how dirty my tables are? Why do you have to make the freeza smell bad? Why does the room have a mouse trap can’t you clean before you leave? Kids do homework. Kids are getting so tired of this especially me! The room needs air conditioning, freeza that doesn’t smell and a room with no mouse trap.
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IF I WERE‌ EBONY REINHARDT, AGE 10 If I were the owner of an amusement park I would let people in free only on Mondays and Wednesdays. All kids will be free and parents will have to pay $11.00 to come in. I will have all the rides in the world everyone will come. I will make a fortune, and everyone will come to my amusement park. And they will tell their friends about it and they will come too! My business will spread all over the world. The whole entire world will be there. I will have a lot of money and I will be rich. P.S. The name of my amusement park is Coney Island.
FALL EBONY REINHARDT leaves on the floor people going to the store to buy a rake to clean up before you find a snake.
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WRITING EBONY REINHARDT Hello my name is Ebony and I want to say I have two brothers that get on my nerves and something else that I’d like to say I hate my brothers a lot. But when they have stuff that I like, I have to be nice so I have to get rid of the mess before the pest comes back.
QUESTIONS ABOUT CATS CHARLES SANCHEZ, AGE 9 Why do cats like to jump over fences Why won’t they talk? Who knows they might have talking problems
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UNTITLED CHARLES SANCHEZ My name is Cramsle. My Mom called me to eat a splashed bowl of eyeball soup & worms. My mom told me that she was going to my school to do an audition today. When I went to the auditorium, my mom lied instead she showed everybody in the whole school about me when I was a baby, even when I was playing with Barbie dolls. When I came out of the auditorium my mom came and gave me a hug and kiss and left. And when she left everybody was laughing. I dropped to my knees and cried. There were onions in front of me. I didn’t mean to cry but the onions made me. And I actually was going to, but I think the onions knew that I was about to cry. So they must have done it for me.
MY POEM CHARLES SANCHEZ May makes showers That make spring flowers The noises of the humming birds Fly across Michigan Lake. The disgusting part, the smell of dog poo! Yuck. Who wants to smell that sluggy thing.
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HALLOWEEN PIE CHARLES SANCHEZ
1/2 cup on chocolate pudding crunched chocolate - Hershey 1/2 cup of egg 1 half of milk A cup of flour. Put it in the oven for 35 min. When it’s finished get a knife and put the knife in the pie and take it out so the pie can get some fresh air Put orange icing on it and enjoy your delicious meal
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ANCIENT CHARLES SANCHEZ The tomb of King Tut is an ancient place. Who discovered the ancient tomb? The tomb was buried in the soft sand. The ancient tomb is not near the ancient pyramid. The ancient Black-American Egyptians were surprised at the great Kings death. He was only 18 years old. The dark great black sand blows away. What is left? I guess nothing. The scorpions crawl through the desert world.
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ANGER JUSTICE SEARS, AGE 10 Anger smells like fire Anger sounds like constipation Anger feels like a hot head Anger looks like red face people
UNTITLED JUSTICE SEARS Justice Jumpy Understanding Sensitive Trustful Ice cream Crafty Energetic Sears Smart Enthusiastic Accomplishing Runner String
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KARATE PUNCHING BAG JUSTICE SEARS By me By me Ouch why did you kick me oof why did you punch me aee why did you throw me in the corner and leave me in the ashes. I don’t like you any more. Aggg stop using me ach oof aee
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BAKE A RECIPE JONATHAN THOMAS, AGE 9 feet 2 teaspoons eyes 2 tablespoons nose 1 teaspoon eyebrows 2 tablespoons hair 1 millimeter hands 1 gallon arms 2 tablespoons legs 2 liters bones 10 millimeters boogers 20 millimeters mouth 1 tablespoon ears 2 tablespoons ear wax 14 teaspoons laughter 2 cups 10 tablespoons toenails 1 yard brain 2 tablespoons neck Mix all together Bake for 30 min 340°
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SAD JONATHAN THOMAS Sad looks like people glooming Sad smells like no freedom Sad feels like slavery Sadness sounds like people crying Sadness tastes like food that is bitter
NOW THAT I AM 9 JONATHAN THOMAS Now that I am 9, I know how to divide big numbers Now that I am 9, I know how to do things better Now that I am 9, I know how to wash the dishes Now that I am 9, I know how to count to 100 in Spanish Now that I am 9, I know how to follow directions Now that I am 9, I know when to do things 48
Now that I am 9, I know when is my birthday Now that I am 9, I know how to speak Spanish (not a lot) Now that I am 9, I know how to fold clothes Now that I am 9, I know how to do my bed
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Kayla baptiste Tanzania coleman Joshua Delaney Kofi dinizulu Osose ebesunun autumn fraser Noah fyffe Avery Garcia Dante hagood Danae Jarvis Jamal Mitchell Simone ojeikere Sean phillip Ebony Reinhardt Charles sanchez Justice sears Jonathan Thomas
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