St Ignatius College Prepatory - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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There's a place. Stuck between a freeway and a factory. Where drugs are excellent and schools are unsatisfactory. There's a place. Where tomorrows never promised as just a day away. Where strangers know to stay away and lunkies have to pay to play. And the only way out for a child is a hop skip scholarship or a fade away. There's a place. Where dreams can be found stuck in the cracks of the sidewalk. And there's a child sized body oullmed n white chalk. Where you'd be lucky to fmd someone that might talk. Cause the wrong words could get that someone stalked like a mghthawk Where you'd be lucky to find someone that might talk. Cause the wrong words could get that Cause the wrong words could get that some- one stalked bke a ntghthawk someone stalked like a mghthawk. There's a place. That was exactly what I hadn't predicted. I thought they wouldn't like me cause whitey never gets convicted. I thought they couldn't escape the past because I thought that life was scripted I arrived in an air of despair, and I left feeing uplifted. The sands of time had sifted making the old place erased and leaving a new place that's gifted, in this place.! met people that hold personal signifi- cance. In this place. I met children that were still full of simple innocence.ln this place. I met parents that worked to make a difference. In th« place. I met killers and I made sure to keep my distance. I saw a teenager take a punch to join a gang that would kill him. I met a peacemaker that limped because he'd been maimed as a vtiain. I talked with an illegal immigrant that sent money home annually. He couldn't afford a roof because he sent money home to his family. He couldn't learn English because he couldn't atford the lessons. And I swallowed a lump m my throat as he answered all our questions. We gave him blessings but blessings won't protect agamst some weapons. And if he asked me how to make a living I wouldn't have any suggestions. We learned about juvenile correctional fac tio vorship be3utituiiy. The purpose now that weren't there to make corrections. They seemed worthless and they did their threw away the lives of kids my age for societ- service dutifully. Because when push ies protection. comes to shove, love, and belief in the I now f« y understand the burden of being above, brings peace like a dove, bom with a dark complexion. East LA is one of the most beautiful -Julian P. Newman 07 places I've visited because affection works like an infection. The unity in th community was something that was ne to me. Their purging of gangs emergm was soon to be a jubilee. Their farth in God was Odd because they practiced Lorenzo Cabrera, Ryan Cavalier, Kriste Daza, Lauren Griffir Genny McGuire, Julian Newman, Monica Ow, Katie Scolar Shannon Banahan. 024 Student Life

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Reflections Love Loudly’ Cheer from camp: “To “Practice Beauty” is to live a life that is integrated Who is special? and whole, in which the moments that fill our days are | AM SPECIAL! each and every one revered; from cooking to hospital- Who does God love? ity, from meditation to gardening, from art and music to ME! mopping the floor, from mentoring to singing around the Who do you love? fire. Our daily lives are meant to become extraordinary ME! by living in the way of love.” Who else do you love? YOU! “Imagine Paradise... Practice Beauty” “Practice love, compassion, genteness of heart, and the great virtue of perserverence.” Tess L. Curet ‘0 026 Student Life