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In jail, they tell you, "this is going to be your life"
When you get home from jail, you make a promise to yourself to change your life
Kids watch their family members or people they know getting arrested and they can't do anything about it
You get in trouble for crimes you didn't commit
You know when the cops are there, certain bad things (like violent crime) aren't going to happen
When the cops come, they check to see who has warrants
Cops escalate and harass you for small things (weed, public drinking, driving without a license)
You hear stories about all the bad things that police have done
When you see the cops, you know you can't do the things you want to do, like play your music loud
You raise your vigilance when you see the cops
You try to humanize the police, but end up hating them for how they treat you
Cops don't protect you even when there's a shooting - they just protect themselves
The cops will try to antagonize you to get a reaction
Cops know you personally and try to lock you up
Community members and police officers sit down together to talk to each others
Cops get to know you as someone who is helping the community
Cops generalize about youth as troublemakers
New cops hear bad things about the neighborhood and make generalizations about its residents
Police officers show they care by showing up to community events and dialogues
The cops stop informal community events like block parties and cookouts from happening
You have to be extra careful doing small things (like getting a permit for a cookout) because you know the cops are watching
The community won't talk to police officers
The police will cause conflict just by being at community events
Police officers use physical aggression against black and brown people
Cops can't get their hands on the real criminals, so they harass whoever they can get their hands on
You feel bad for some cops who you know are the good ones
Some cops will try to talk to a kid's parents before making an incident a big deal
Some police try to find a solution instead of just saying, "you're going to jail"
You feel safer with people you know than with the police
School authorities (teachers, coaches) tell kids their not good at anything
School authorities tell kids not to come back to school anymore
Teachers single certain kids out because they think they have influence over other kids
School counselors let kids stay at school longer if they don't feel safe at home
Adults tell youth not to sell drugs even when they are out selling  drugs themselves
The elders in the community look at kids differently when they start to improve their behavior
The older generation and younger generation don't interact with each other
Girls are groomed by older teens and men
The older generation puts itself on a higher pedestal and looks down on gang members
Youth stay away from the street because they have other options
Kids feel like they can be kids
Youth hold themselves accountable and change their behavior
Youth don't have spaces to be vulnerable with each other
Community members tell kids they're proud of them
Youth learn to get back up again when they fall
Youth learn life skills and job readiness
Kids don't go outside
Kids succeed when sponsors help them out
Kids have to cook for themselves
Kids are raised by social media and the TV screen
Kids operate in survival mode
Kids think they need money so they can look like everyone else
Kids are running the streets at even younger ages now (13, 14, 15)
Young people teach each other the skills and positive mindsets that they learn from community groups
Kids don't have a safe space at home
Kids have parents who are locked up
Parents tell their kids to be a doctor or a lawyer, but they've never even seen a doctor or a lawyer in real life
Parents expect their kids only to take the good things from being around their role models, not the bad things (selling drugs, crime)
Kids can talk to their parent(s) about anything
Parents look out for each others' kids and hold each other accountable
Parents struggle to raise their kids because of their own difficult family history
Parents are scared of their kids
Kids are raised by foster parents because of drugs or alcohol in the house
Kids have to hold their own parents accountable for their behavior
Kids turn to Google and social media as a second parent to learn what their parents should be teaching them
Parents let their kids do whatever they want on their phones
Parents let their kids do whatever they want in the streets
Kids don't respect their parents
Parents only tell their kids "no", so they go looking for "yes" among their peers
Parents disrespect their children though physical or verbal abuse (slapping, hitting, cussing out)
Parents expect their kids to graduate high school even though they didn't actually finish
People don't get on the elevator when they see you riding it
You're not welcome into places like fancy restaurants
People think you can only play certain sports because of the color of your skin
You get singled out for how you dress, how loud you are or the complexion of your skin
Teachers are openly racist against black and brown students
People think that because you smoke weed, you're a criminal
Outsiders feel like they have to have a tough persona when they come to this community
Society labels people as "gang members" when they're just people
The neighborhood doesn't have programs for youth
They cancel community events like Family Day because of the street beef that happens
Community members go to community mediators to help resolve their conflicts, not the police
Community mediators talk to people and help establish agreements to understand what's causing conflicts
Community mediators use their relationships (to the police, to the community, to community partners, etc.) to help people out
There's little accountability for community organizations who get funding to reduce violence
They fix the buildings up in the gentrified areas, but not in the projects
There's no outreach in the community about events or other resources
Community leaders bring together young people from the community for discussion and dialogue
Young people get services and support from community groups that they don't get at home
Community groups provide a safe space to young people from the community
Community groups provide a space for young people to talk about what's going on
Young people get respect from gang members for participating in community groups
There is no fighting or shooting at community events
Youth feel like they don't have anyone to talk to
Youth have someone to talk to who they know will be straight and lead them in the right direction
Friends hold each other accountable
The community is beefing with itself
The community is racially segregated
Friends from the neighborhood grow apart and end up in different gangs
It feels like, "if you're not with me, you're against me"
People see each other across the street but avoid talking to each other
People see someone on the street and think there's a problem because of who they associate that person with
There are interracial couples out walking together
People just go to work and come straight home without spending time out in the community
The community steps in to solve problems that the cops can't
Black and brown youth don't show up in spaces of community decision-making, like community meetings, community boards
Black and brown youth feel included on the basketball court or shooting dice, not being active in the community through community meetings or community boards
The community doesn't have a way to come together and voice their concerns
People in the community don't go to public meetings, like the tenant association meetings, the police meetings, etc.
People only pay attention to the street flyers that report on who's missing or wanted
Black and brown youth seek out inclusivity  through gang life
Gang life feel exciting and is full of adrenaline
Gang life is easy to get into (it's about just knowing the right person)
Youth think gang life is just a game, not serious
You feel like you have the freedom to be you
People in the community are traumatized
You can't turn off your vigilance, even when it's safe outside
You feel disgusted with how you used to be
People do drugs to cover up their mental illness
Parents have severe mental health problems
You can see even the most dangerous people as human with a warm side to them
People let their ego down and show you their vulnerability
You can travel from Bed-Stuy to other neighborhoods like Bensonhurst, Bay Ridge, Queens and feel like you belong
The streets are quiet
You can walk freely around the neighborhood (to the store, to the train, etc.)
You can get jumped or harassed at anytime walking down the street
People in the community just stay in their apartments
The whole building will come outside to join in on a fight
You see candles out and immediately think that someone died
People think it's okay to shoot someone, even for small amounts of money
Gang bangers come to this neighborhood from other projects
You can go outside without carrying a weapon
You can leave the house knowing you'll come back
You see people out jogging
You go out of your way to avoid walking on certain blocks

if the streets weren't so dirty
if the streets weren't so dirty
making the streets cleaner