My final paper in a California History class was on my personal California experience. I titled it To Live and Die In L.A. I finessed my way through that essay so cold. It definitely came from what I knew but nothing about what the class taught me. Class didn’t really teach me much but L.A. did. Growing up every time something crazy happened I would say “to live and die in L.A.” because my California experience is specific to South Central Los Angeles. A lot of crazy things happen here but Los Angeles is my home. When I leave, no matter how much I like a place I want to come back home. L.A. can be messy but it can also set you free. It teaches a survival skillset so most things, like my essay, we finesse. That is what we do here, we figure it out. We create something out of nothing and we pay attention. In Los Angeles, your intuition will sharpen if you let it.

The blocks go from great to bad in seconds and growing up here life did too therefore the resilience created in us can not be bought or sold. My kids need L.A. Although my zip code will change and the quality of my local public school district will increase I will forever call Los Angeles County my home. It provides so much flavor why would I leave that, lol!?! ...So let’s be proud of our home. Who we are. Wherever you’re from don’t run away. Help heal your community. Dig the diamonds out of the rough, dust them off and help them shine. Dust yourself off and GLISTEN! We must remind ourselves and the generations after us how dope we are no matter where we come from or what we come through and let’s be excited about what we have to offer in these bright new times. You know how much gold and dopeness is inside the inner city and inside of YOU? How many untold stories and ideas. I think we’re headed in the right direction and I pray we continue to reach higher and higher as a COMMUNITY. We can do much more collectively than we can apart or broken. So let’s LIVE.