The Beat Within wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Thank you for your love and support while we continue to grieve the lossof our beloved founder, David Inocencio. We think perhaps San Quentin News summed it up the best… “Founder of The Beat Within touched countless lives, leaving behind a powerful legacy of service and compassion with his ever present smile and the power of encouragement, legendary advocate for incarcerated youth, David Inocencio died in July after losing a courageous battle with cancer. His service to those impacted by the juvenile and criminal justice systems will live on
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David Inocencio Memorial Fund
The David Inocencio Memorial Fund honors our trailblazing founder, David Inocencio. For nearly three decades, David was a light in the dark world of detention facilities across the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. This fund will support workshops, magazine publication, and general operations of The Beat Within. With your support, The Beat goes on. LINK
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Editor’s Note
In July, The Beat Within announced with great sadness the passing of its founder and executive director, David Inocencio. Over the past six weeks, our Beat Within team has worked tirelessly to publish a special tribute issue of The Beat Within Magazine. In this issue, youth, David’s colleagues, former and current TBW participants, and community leaders shared their reflections on the impact of The Beat Within, David Inocencio, and the topic of grief. The issue was empowering and almost therapeutic, rallying our team to stand up and ensure that the beat goes on, as David always said. With passing the
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The Beat Within Tribute Issue
Our latest magazine is here! Inside you can find all the incredible and powerful tributes to David. Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
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It’s Been One Month
On August 8th marked 1 month since David’s passing. Let’s continue to celebrate him and his legacy!
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We are looking for volunteers!
Please reach out to Alyssa for more info – amaanao@thebeatwithin.org
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Volume 29.15/16
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 29.15/16
As Spring brings with it more sunshine, longer days, The Beat Within is back again with another incredible issue for your reading pleasure through the extra hours of daylight. Our longtime friend OT, is back today, with a heartfelt story about asking for help from others. A topic that we can all relate to as I know it is often hard for anyone to ask for help. OT really lays it out in a way we can probably all relate to with the daily struggle. Memories From My Adolescence I remember when I first started high school, I didn’t have
Continue ReadingAwkward
-Sanguine, Santa Cruz I rarely receive any compliments honestly. The times that I do it’s often on my outfits or my taste in music. My usual response goes like, “Thank you.” I feel a little awkward after, like I should’ve said something different or my response was too dry. I don’t really know how to take compliments because, like I said, I rarely receive them. What I find even harder or more awkward is how to respond to people after giving them a compliment. Usually, when I give someone a compliment they usually respond with something like “Aw, thank you,”
Continue ReadingYour Dreams and Aspirations Will Lead You
-Chucky, San Francisco In ten years, if I receive a letter from myself, I will be very surprised and proud of myself that I’ve made it this far. What I would tell my future self is to never give up on your dreams. Your dreams and aspirations will lead you to what is destined. I’ll tell myself to always keep your closest family and friends, and never to give up on them. Family and friends are all we got. What I want to tell myself is that, although you had an extremely rough start with childhood, you can’t let this
Continue ReadingDad, My Favorite Fisherman
-Keith Erickson, Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga, CA My Father John Erickson passed away on January 28th, three days before his 73rd birthday. Despite his absence, the memories of my father and childhood fishing trips, have kept my mind and heart afloat. Having spent most of my life incarcerated, I’ll be the first to admit that I’d lost my way in the world. I failed at maintaining the values that he tried so hard to instill in me, and I pushed him away at times the harder he would love me. The last conversation we had before Cancer stole
Continue ReadingFrom the Bottom to the Top
-Jason “Jay”, San Quentin State Prison, CA A powerful person I had met is Bill. He comes in with a bunch of guys to play basketball here in SQ, giving back, treating us as equal, as men, showing us that there are people that do care. If I was a school teacher, I would be a PE teacher. I would teach at a college. I would be mixed with both strict and lenient — just to motivate, push, guide, but also to be a support system. To me, compliments are just a sign of appreciation and respect. The things I
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Volume 29.13/14
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 29.13/14
Greetings to our Beat Within community near and far! We’re thrilled to have you with us for our latest issue, where our writers tackle topics ranging from quality friendships and being a “grown-up,” to reputations and the right to confidentiality. While we don’t play favorites, we’re confident that this issue of The Beat will inspire our readers to think deeply about our relationship to those closest to us, our world at large, and the person we’re always evolving into. We hope you’ll extend a warm welcome to two of our interns, Mia and Sophie, who dedicated their time and attention
Continue ReadingBeing Grown Up
-Smalls, San Diego Being grown up, in my honest opinion, I think requires being responsible and respectful. I think that I’m somewhat grown up, I just goof around too much and growing up my parents taught me to be respectful. Today was pretty alright. I woke up late. I lowkey had a weird dream about aliens and two hundred animals, which was plenty. Well, then I called my lil girlfriend and she had to go ‘cause she had school. Then after I hung up on her I worked out with the homie. I remember as a kid how I would
Continue ReadingFull of Good Moments
-CG, Sacramento On the outs I have a fun and simple life. Most days, I’m with my family spending it playing video games, watching TV, or playing sports at the park. After school, I go over to my friend’s house and we go out to Fire Wings and have some fun. My friends and I go out and do some stuff I can’t say. I’m up till midnight out with my friends and having fun. In the day, I go to my brother’s house and play some Assassins Creed. After that I’m back at home and then I go out
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