How has your life changed?
I can’t go anywhere, really. No shopping malls are open, no stores are open. Haircuts are open now. We have to wear a face mask inside stores and in other places. I heard that if you’re not wearing one, it’s a ticket. The world is changing, there is more black men being killed by cops and what’s going on now with the coronavirus…the world is changing.
Who are you spending time with lately?
I’m really by myself, just reading with Chelsea (my teacher) on Zoom. I have seen my tutor drive down the street twice. I live by myself, and my neighbors aren’t home much. I don’t really talk to them, just say hi.
What emotions have you had?
An emotion I have had is “stuck alone”. The whole world is really on quarantine.
What would you tell yourself in January of this year?
I would tell myself, “I wish this would have never happened.” I’d go back to what I was doing, like school and shopping. If I knew what was going to happen, I would have prepared myself, I would have gotten more information about the virus.
Free write – Feel free to write about anything you want here.
The world is changing, I think for the better. Many men were killed by police before Juneteenth came this year and the coronavirus was killing also. Things are changing a little bit, and I learned about Juneteenth. As a Black man, I felt sad and also kind of happy to learn because I am Black and proud of what is going on with other Black people in this world telling their stories and people listen. Sometimes I feel connected to other Black people, but some are mean. I feel more judged now than before by both white and Black people than when I was younger, it depends on who they are. I think the world is getting better because we are getting recognized in this world more than before (like when there was slavery) but some people are still mean, it can be anybody.
Submitted by T.W., San Diego County – Oceanside.
This was submitted as part of Oceanside Reads, a program of the Oceanside Public Library.