I am from Sheridan Ave where all day you hear the Soninke women telling their children's, “daga kandie”, GO HOME!

I am from the block near 170 st where gang members gather up to smoke cigarettes, the most disgusting smell ever or to play some dice.

I am from P.s. 163 where you see all kinds of races. I even got stabbed once by a white kid who didn’t like me because i was african. The pain of the pencil's tip brang automatic tears to my eyes.

I am from the neighborhood where black kids would go bullying on us African kids calling us, AFRICAN BOOTY SCRATCHERS!

Now i'm from the neighborhood where people often give me a warm smile and praise me when I do something as little as helping them with their groceries.

I am from the time when teens don't have much time for anyone instead we just spend time pressing onto the keyboards of our laptops and cellular devices.

I am from Sheridan Ave where ten cent cherry icees were the best to eat by the night. Whether it was positive or negative we worked very hard with all our might.