My Way Of Giving Back

If I could replay all the events and experiences in my turbulent life,it is easy to predict where I would end up-in
the grave yard,strung out on dope or in prison.These type scenes reel through my mind often.Another young life spun out of control.I hear sirens and my mom crying. After languishing in federal prison for 24 harrowing years,I rise every morning and tell myself that it's a miracle that I am still alive and that I haven't lost my mind.After all,I come from the mean streets of Baltimore,MD's Murphy Homes Projects,where i was a violent troubled teen.As a youth,I was fearless,craved excitement and hungered for adventure.I was a thug,a hustler and a small time gangster.It was inevitable that the attraction of drugs,sex with fast beatiful women,money and shiny cars would lead me to a federal case and a lengthy sentence.

At the begginning of my sentence,I would gaze about the misery that engulfed me,I couldn't see through the smoke of my own confusion.I had no direction.I only understood what was on the outside of me.Every inmate seemed lifeless,trapped in some frozen dream.One day I decided I had enough,I broke the monotonous state and found my faith in the Holy Koran and in helping others.Some inmates used smut books,played handball and used drugs to ecsape this cruel dream of reality.

I had always found pleasure in helping others so I used that boxed up energy to facilitate a program to assist inmates in positive growth and development in life.The title "Saving Ourselves" or SOS represents what direction the program is aimed.
The idea for the program came about one day while I was sitting in front of my prison cell and noticed all the youths run to the BET tv at 6:00 pm and sing every rap song that came on from 6 to 7pm.I took down some of their names and went to the

education department the following day to investigate how many of those "rappers" had an GED or a highschool diploma and I found out none of them did.

The idea was born.I realized they were missing positive inspiration.That little push or shove that they probably needed in the real world that probably would of saved their lives or kept them out of prison.One even confided to me as much after joining the SOS program via a letter.I must admit the letter touched my heart because I realized that i had the ability to help others change in a positive way.Who could of known that my SOS program would be widely successful in prison,that i could encourage other young inmates to join the program and make a change,that the class would grow from 35 inmates to 90 within 1 year.After all,I'm just a poor black boy from the lawless streets of Baltimore,Md-yet the beautiful act of helping others has provided me with the wings to fly over the bob wired fence that daily secures this prison.

I share this story to solicit others to step up and help young teens and youths with encouragement and inspiration.This my way of giving back to the community.

(S.T.P.C) STOP THE PAIN CAMPAIGN

This month of December is a very important month for most people world wide,
with the holiday seasons under way,family and friends gets togather give and receive,
share stories ctc.
In time we have this seriouse(epidemic) on our hands with this youth violence,its out
of control and at a all time high in this country the land of the free, this is nothing,but
a disease and we as a community/village we have to find a cure and some solutinos to this
epidemic befor we loss our future. I've been writing about this youth violence on and off for the last (6)
monthsand the statistices are egregious.
According to (familyfirstaid.orgyouthviolence) Homicide is the second leading cause of death among people
age 10 to 24 thats enough right there, let alone gang violence up there as well in all the major cities and
small towns.
Join me in this campaign in finding some solutions to this madeness!!
Help Stop The Pain.




Next weeks content i'll have some of my own solutions, and will be looking forward to yours.
BY.ANTONIO BARNES