Alexis
“I was born and raised in Dorchester MA, as well as my entire family. Growing up I came from poverty stricken neighborhoods where we didn’t have much but we made the best out of what we did have. All my life I’ve been a victim to violence and crime, sometimes personally, sometimes from the outside looking in. I’ve grown up with friends who have been involved with DCF, DYS, both, or worse. Although their actions were in no way excusable the people locking them up need to take into account that they are still human beings. They are still young adults learning how to maneuver through life. Some do not have the proper guidance or resources to make the best decisions. You gather POC and throw them in these very poor, crime ridden neighborhoods where there is nothing to do but resort to the violence that they are being exposed to from the time they are children. This system was meticulously designed for POC to fail simply because of our skin color. Let me elaborate. America is predominantly white totaling to a whopping 76.3%. Black/African Americans only make up 13.4% of the population, Natives/Native Americans 1.3%, and Asians/Asian American make up 5.9%. My point in bringing this up is POC make up about 80% of the jail population. Statistically speaking we are overpowered, yet we are still feared. People fear what they don’t understand. Understand this, we are systematically cursed. We are products of generational curses. Understand we are no different from one another. Please don’t look at our children as a nuisance but instead grant them the same help and effort as you would one of your own. All they need is someone who cares not because they have to but because it’s the right thing to do. Please raise the age for youth in the system so that they have a second chance at a new beginning. Show them that they do not have to succumb to the pressures of their everyday life, that there is a better way out.”