LIFE

Dear Diary

The memories I have from growing up are in a diverse community. I grew up in Alameda where there are many different types of races, big parks, great food and of course how can I forget the beach. As a child I always loved to play outside and ride bikes, and climb trees. Growing up I was carefree, I had no worries I was able to be a child and not have to worry about any responsibilities. That's a great thing right? Well when you watch movies you see the perfect lives  they live and you apply those things to your own life. Well as a child that's what I did. As time went by I thought my life was perfect, wrong. At the age of 12 I lost my grandmother and father in the same month. December 1, 2010 I lost my grandmother to her dying, then on December 2, 2010 I lost my father to him being incarcerated. Image a 12 year old going through that, losing two people who made her life whole. Having two parents who took care of you, then all of a sudden you have one, single mother. My mother didn't work, she had no income my dad brought in all our income. My mother was lost, she didn't know what to do. She is now raising 4 kids on her own with no money. So me being the oldest I had to step up and help my mom. Imagine a 12 year old having so many adult responsibilities. I felt lost and confused. Wondering why is this happening to me, my life was perfect. Well at least that's how it felt. I was only in middle school and my life just seemed to get worse and worse, I was miss behaving in school and my grades were terrible. Only outlet I had was to play basketball , that’s where I cleared my head, but it made me miss my father because basketball was something we did together. Three years went by and in those three years I took on my mother responsibilities. She was depressed and miserable. At the age of 15 I was taking care of my sibling. Took them to school, picked them up , made them breakfast and dinner, and made sure they took baths and helped them to bed. Now should a 15 year old have those types of responsibilities? It was my freshman year in high school, my mother got a new boyfriend. I haven't seen my mother so happy since my father. I grew so much hatred towards her. I had so many questions that wasn't being answered. Why would you leave my father? Why are you so needy for love? You have kids that you should be taking care of. Instead you leave the responsibility on your eldest daughter because you want to block out your hardships. Hatred is what I started to have towards my mother. Why did she do this to me? Why was I being a mother to my siblings at 15? Because of all my responsibilities at the age of 16 I started to rebel. I met a guy, he made me feel special. I thought I was in love. Everything I was going through he made go away, at least that’s how it seemed at the time. I dropped and forgot about all my responsibilities when it came to him. One day I ran away with him and told my mother NOTHING. Since everybody treated me like an adult I was ready to become one. He made me feel like a women. Two days went by and my mother finally calls worried about where I am, asking me where I been? Telling me if I didn’t come home she was going to call the police and tell them I was a runaway, And I told her I’m in love and I wanted to be with him. She was furious , she had no control , she didn’t know where I was she was scared, and at the moment I didn’t care. This guy was 20 years old and I was 16 years old, once my mom found that out she went straight to the police. I was so scared I left him and went home because I was in fear of going to jail. When I got home , my mother and I fought and fought, seemed like the arguing wouldn’t go away. I felt so empty inside , she cut off all ties I had with him. I had no life and she finally started to treat me like a child. June 17, 2015 my mother's boyfriend gets incarcerated. I disliked him, he treated my mother bad and had no intentions of being a step father to her children. He only used her. So now her distractions is gone and mine are to. She came to realize that she put all her responsibilities on me and she didn’t let me be a child, she took that away from me. We never had a close relationship and I always wanted one with her but things always got in the way. One year later , basketball became my outlet for real this time I was completely focus and determined to get better. It was my junior year in high school and I was committed , my grades got better and I was just on the right track. My mom started to do well herself , she got a job and her responsibilities where no longer mine. My life started to progress , less stress , less responsibilities and I could focus on myself and live it how I wanted to. I looked at the bigger picture and now I can say I have a strong mother who needed and deserved to be loved ,I couldn’t blame her for everything. She did her wrongs but at the end of the day she loved me and my sibling with all her heart. I wouldn’t change anything that I went through because it made me who I am today. I'm strong , I’m smart and I’m going down the right path. Today marks my 21st birthday and I decided to sit down and write down the things that made me , Me! If it wasn’t for everything that I went through I wouldn’t be here. Playing basketball and going to college was something I didn’t imagine doing in early high school. But I had to use what I went through to my advantage. The saying that I live by , “everything happens for a reason”. And I’m blessed

Sincerely Hope

COMIC STRIP

Characters:

Meja: a women's basketball player, that loves to play and watch basketball, basketball is her life.

Noe: Bestfriend to Nejha, someone who tries to help her stay on track

Coach Iggy: head coach at ohlano college

Announcer : the person who announcing what’s going on in the game

Captain: the captain of ohlano basketball team

Whole team: every member of the ohlano women’s basketball team

Setting: at a sports store buying supplies for meja

Dialogue:

Store:

Noe:  you sure are buying a lot of stuff….

Meja: it's all my equipment I need for basketball

Noe: what do you need beside a ball and a hoop?...

Meja: all good players have a good pair of shoes..

Noe: that makes three things

Meja: you should also wear comfortable clothes when you play….

Noe: what about all those snacks your buying

Meja: I need those as well , I’m always hungry

Noe: were going to be late hurry up

Meja: i'm so nervous , i'm happy your here with my on my special day. Maybe that’s why I keep trying to buy all this stuff , not sure what to expect

Noe: I know your nervous but your going to be great , first college basketball , you have been waiting for this your whole high school career

Meja: and it’s finally here!

Noe: come on let’s get there before your late

Scene 2

Car

Noe: so do you need anything else ?

Meja: no I’m ok , just trying to get myself mentally prepared for my game (Headphones go in and car is silent)

Scene 3

Laney College

Noe: goodluck , break a leg

Meja: seriously ? Break a leg

Noe: lol I’m sorry , not literally just get a good win for your first home college basketball game

Meja: Thanks for all the support love you

Noe: love you to , I’ll be screaming from the stands GO #5 that’s my Best Friend.

Meja: ahhhha

Scene 4

Locker room

Coach: hope you ladies are ready , we have been training for this for weeks , I have faith in you ladies to pull off a win today

Team: (clapping)

Coach: we have to work as a team , play selfless and most importantly defense , that’s what’s going to win us the game , play defense and your offense will follow

Coach: ok every it in.

Captain: Champs on 3 , 1….2...3…

Whole Team: CHAMPS!

Scene 5

Gym

Announcer:  2 mins left in the 4th quarter , #5 with the ball she shoot and score for the three pointer , ohlano college been playing some great defense , there up by 6 1:12 left on the clock

Coach: Slow down , take your time there is 54 seconds left (Yells)

Announcer: 3...2….1…. and ohlano college wins , 64 to 58

Whole team: CHEERING !

Noe runs up to Meja

Noe: congratulations I knew you guys can pull it off

Meja: thankkkkkssss

Team huddles up

Captain : CHAMPS ON 3 ….1….2….3

Whole team: CHAMPS!