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O SUMMER 2016 Mature Content
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information is learned and retained. Workshops include healing circles, LGBTQ sex education workshops, creative writing classes and more! Women identified youth of all cultural backgrounds who wish to empower themselves and their community are encouraged to join.
is a quarterly zine that members and friends of The Point’s Minds Empowerment group create the content that focuses on the social injustice women and men of color deal with daily. The Minds Empowerment group combines sex education with the Arts, bridging the gap between how 2
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FEATURING
Emmanuel Peña Taylor Jenkins Erykah Solano Dylan Avalo Manuelee Rodriguez Marissa Alicea Tijuan Capers Elijah Cotto Francis Martinez Neville Vaughn Genesis Hernandez Elijah Castro Aliyah C. Daniels Jonathan Vega Guessan G. Effi Jay’niah Joseph Jae-nal Joseph Paul Martinez Justin Saylee Gabriel Cooper Lamont Green Anaya Logan Jawhan Davis Paul Serverino 4
Wilson Feliz Dawn Ortiz Jeremiah McDonald Ashley Garcia Cindy Rodriguez Soleil Liburd Ashana Petersen Tatyanna White Whitney Greene Kristina Meralla Briana Rivera Imani Marino Senecca Harris Kenneth De La Cruz Freedom Kelly Jenny De La Rosa Janell Johnson Elizabeth Rodriguez Ashayla Cato Michael Ridley Joely De Jesus Yazmin Melendez Kirsha Black Ty
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8 Say #alllivesmatter? Shut up you racist piece of His skin got him killed
How can we change us? We can’t change without freedom We’re stuck with our skin -Soleil
Haikus on Police Brutality
9 Why do brothers die? So white supremacy can Live? Our day is near
Why are cops so cruel? Because of our skin color Every life matters -Francis Martinez
If All lives matter But Cops always killing black People, it is not safe -Jae-nal
Say black lives matter Not because your life doesn’t Blacks need help right now
I have melanin I get stopped because I am “sus” I want to be white
I am a black girl Stuck in a world so cold Oneself don’t matter -Imani
Bullet to the brain Cause I’m black that can not change My bad, I’m sorry
10 How many people have to die til they realize It’s also a crime. Oppressed we become depressed -Whitney Greene
Why do we live in A world that treats different But we are the same -Dawn Ortiz
Why do I have to Feel scared? Because of my skin color Why can’t all be free? -Joely de Jesus
It is easy to Forget I matter but I Know I do a lot
Save your children Teach your children Protect your children today
I matter because I am a human being We matter a lot -Janell
11 Where is our freedom Why can’t we love all skin tones We are human too -Zenaida
So what if I rap And wear black hoodies, so what Black lives matter
I’m not bad, just scared I’m real but framed as guilty Don’t title me sus
I do not consent To your oppressive system Grandparents guide me
Black, green, red, either Way, many end up dead, can’t Keep letting this be
Equality is Different colors but same Like plain m&ms -Jenny Delarosa
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Poem by Zenaida A teenagers mind is being corrupt. The thought they are made to be perfect To fit in...to be average For them to not be themselves So what is the definition of normal Or average, or even perfect? What does it mean to you?! Why can’t we accept the things that are given is a necessity Why is our minds being corrupted?! Why is that our society just tell us to be normal But turns around with a laugh of judgment We are sisters! We should have pride for our differences and our potential Our imperfection or the labels that are given does not define us. So the best advice I can give u Is to be different! To Be you!
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Loving yourself by Joely De Jesus Be yourself in every way Smile for yourself Look hot for yourself Impress yourself Because at the end of the day Nobody got you like Yourself
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Poem by Yazmin M Black, white, straight, gay, skinny, fat, short, tall We are all the same Suffer, cry, stress, work, smile, enjoy, live , breathe We all do the same We all come from thee same place, we are all going back to the same place Even if you think different, don’t hate We are not in the 1800s, make the world a better place
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O The American Way by MIchael Ridley I say america with my head held high staring at the deep blue And white sky, feeling grateful For the opportunities i have today
But never forgetting the mistreatment Of my ancestors from yesterday My beautiful people golden, bronze And dark skinned bought here From Africa now classified as African-American Yes I am proud, yes i am American But the pride i feel Comes from my African heritage For them I have the utmost respect
Only because of the courage Of my ancestors I am here today To make a continuous and positive change to the “American way�
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Poem by Margaret Some days are better than others Some days are harder than others Whether at the forefront or to the side You linger in some small Corner of my mind
Poem by anonymous I’m scared I’m frightened I’m nervous I feel so little I feel hopeless But I’ll still do it Because I believe I’m the only one who can
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Seneca Harris “Purpose” The purpose of having a community is to connect and reconnect with the people of the world. Everyday we go through life and death, peace and love.
Tarik Solomon “The revolution” I am the leader of the revolution Making this my resolution Looking for a solution but with the government stopping us And give us retribution But we come back with retaliation with our evolution Live the revolution
By Anonymous “Do you know that feeling” Do you know that feelings when you are happy for no reason but you know the reason? When someones smile makes you so happy that you forget all of your troubles? When you cant remember what you were doing because you thought of them? When you can not describe the feeling because you are over whelmed with emotion? Do you know the feelings when you have a crush?
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6 WORD STORIES JP Vinals We are millennials, we are revolution Those who give hope are dope Changing you IS changing the world Life is all about making decisions Jonathan Vega Whenever I’m lost, they guide me I’m doing this for a better me Why seek equality, when there’s equity Paul S I don’t want to be a statistic 32
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Fear Encourages Angry Responses Jawwhan Paris
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Thank You for Reading
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Minds Empowerment Group Summer 2016 www.thepoint.org 40