Well, all is well with me. Just hanging in there. That’s all we can do. You talk about gangs and that whole lifestyle. I lived it for many years. I was a hard one man, couldn’t tell me anything. I ended up getting 25-life for a murder that I didn’t even do. But because I was associated with a gang I was lumped into the group who did. I took the fall for it. Gang affiliation is not a good thing, trust me. I was 18 when all that happened and I’m 33 now. 15 years is a long time to sit here, especially when none of the homies have come around or shown support. Ghost. I left the gang life years ago but it still carries a stigma for me. Choose better man, choose better. I ended up giving my life to Christ and I’m now an ordained minister. I try to reach out to those who just need a little help deciding to turn from that lifestyle. It’s my life now. I got out and that means others can as well. Don’t join a gang. No matter how attractive or how flashy it may seem…it’s a false sense of what life is about and the loyalty that is branded is never what it turns out to be. We at Rise Up! are a part of this writing project to help youth see the errors in their ways before it’s too late, I hope you’ll give some serious thought to the choices you’re making. I hope this helps you start down that path. Stay up.

Dante’