MY NEIGHBORHOOD Sophia Acaxtenco 7th Grade • St.Therese at St.Barbara
I live in a neighborhood called Back of The Yards. I often hear my parents talk about my neighborhood and how dangerous it can be. They say things like, Sophia, don’t go out by yourself, Sophia, you cannot go to the park across the street alone, or Sophia, you can’t walk to the grocery store that is two blocks away from the house, and I always wonder why. My family and I have lived in this neighborhood for over thirteen years and I know it is dangerous, but I think nothing bad will happen, but my parents think it is not safe for us kids. It has impacted us for good and bad reasons. Let me tell you some of the reasons why it has changed my family’s life. First of all, let me tell you how it has shaped us in a good way. When I tell my friends or other people that I live in Back of The Yards, they stay quiet and think for a minute until they realize that yes, it is on the south side, and it is not the most wonderful place to go to. It is not a suburb, but it is where I have lived my whole life. Although my neighborhood has gangs, shootings, and robberies, my family and I have learned that as long you are friendly with the people in our community then everything is going to be okay. Maybe we will not invite everyone to a party at my house, or maybe, we do not have to have a full conversation but just a friendly “hey” will do. Since my family and I do not live in a very lavish and rich neighborhood, we do a decent amount of community service at
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