To Our Youth

I know difficult times and hardship can make life seem very meaningless at times. I also understand the trouble concerning our youth today because I was once under the same circumstances. You're probably going through the same challenges I was once struggling with. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I made during my time. I was not mature enough to understand what I was lacking at times, which was some sort of positive guidance, parental support, and mentorship for that matter. It seems like all I had around me during those days in my company were no good people.

I don't want you to make the same mistakes I made during my time.

Eventually that crowd of people led me to the position I'm in today, which is currently sitting in a prison cell as an innocent man for a crime which I didn't commit. I vividly remember struggling with my whole perspective on life during those days, and I didn't have the courage to seek for HELP. I was concerned about how seeking help would expose my vulnerability when in all reality I should have been way more focused on rescuing my life. But when you are a kid which I was in those days, that seemed to be the normal way of thinking. Please don't make the same mistakes I made. Take it from me, a young teenager who watched his life changed for the worst, before the public's eyes due to the high profile nature of my case during that time in the State of Minnesota. If there is any individual who can relate to the trouble concerning today's youth, specifically in the urban area communities, that individual is me, my young Brothers and Sisters.

Don't be afraid of seeking help

Use my mistakes as your learning experiences, and utilize my current situation in life to your advantage as a learning lesson. Go look for help! Don't be afraid of seeking help. A person's worst nightmares at times can be making the same mistakes twice. I believe that had I been outspoken about my teenage struggles during my days, and requested the necessary help, and found the mentorship support I needed, I wouldn't been in this current predicament that I'm in today. Looking back now I know that the STREETS aren't what they all seem to be, and everything that glitters is not gold. I have learned the hard way. My advice to you is if you are a young struggling male or female, look for Help. Reconsider your values in life and where you decide to place them while you have the options or else the path you are headed now will most likely lead you to a situation where you will lose the privilege to make your own decisions freely. I want you to step out of your elements or comfort zone for once and seek out as much help as possible from all your loved ones that you feel comfortable in communicating with. Please allow yourself a moment of vulnerability, letting your guard down, and letting in the family members who care about you the most. We all have flaws that might seem very uncomfortable to share with family, and those closest to us. You are not alone in that regard. If you feel like you have people who are willing to help you, please use their support. The majority of the youth who struggle to make the transition to adulthood through their mid teens usually lack family, and support system. This is a very major excuse used by an enormous portion of the struggling youth population to justify their mistakes. To be quite honest, unfortunately that's the truth. That was the case in my story, and lacking that support system left me to make mistakes during my youth that I believe I would have avoided otherwise. Once again , I'm speaking from my own experiences so take my advice for what it's worth. At the end of the day you're the one who deals with the consequences of your actions whether good or bad...

At the end of the day you're the one who deals with the consequences of your actions whether good or bad...