“I Am Camden” by Juan Morales is a well-written memoir about a boy living in Camden, a “bad” neighborhood in New Jersey.  The neighborhood, nicknamed “CMD”, meaning Camden’s Most Dangerous, is described as being dangerous and a site for drug dealers and thugs.  Juan explains that outsiders only come in for drugs, and that it was the only time white people showed up.
He said that education played a very important role when living in Camden and that it is hard to do well in school without getting involved with illegal activities.  I found this relatable for me because here in New York, getting into a good school is essential for your future.  If you got into a specialized high school, you’re all set.  If you got into a bad high school, it will go into your record.  Getting a job would be hard because people wouldn’t look for workers with those credentials.  So you might turn to the streets for income, and that could get you into trouble.
But in this piece, I love how Juan overcame such stereotypes by staying in school and not getting in trouble.  He hopes to do well in the future, which shows how much hope he has.  He is confident enough that he won’t step out onto the streets.  It overjoys me that not all people live up to the stereotypical reputation of Camden.