Neighborhood

A neighbor of mine was shot yesterday and died as he was evading police. Don’t worry, this isn’t a post of outrage or social justice. He had it coming. Growing up, my neighborhood was pretty sketch. One of the earliest memories of the home I live in is gangsters jumping the fence to our backyard to evade the police. It was just Santa Ana. This is just what we knew. There’s probably only a handful of people that I grew up with on my block that are still alive - and that’s pretty sad. When I say it’s a blessing to be able to make it this far, it’s true. If you were to give me 10 lives, in any of those lives I would have a good chance of hanging out with the wrong crowd. I wholeheartedly believe that it is up to you to make the best of your situation. You could be born into a bad neighborhood, a broken home, etc. but if you continue to rely on that crutch…you’ll cripple yourself. I know what you’re thinking “Must be easy for you to say.” The only reason why I can say that is because of where I grew up. Heck, it’s easy to get stuck in the wrong crowd. And especially if you don’t know any better. I feel like I was blessed to be forced into some sort of structure in my life. I went to church and church scouts, I didn’t like it at first but it gave me a moral compass. I feel like that’s why I gravitate towards the style that I have for my photography and my videos. I’m very much hands-off. I don’t like directing people in a certain way, I don’t like propping up stuff. I like things to be very authentic and as-they-are. I hope that makes sense. I don’t like fabrication and I don’t like making something that isn’t there. Most of my photos are moody and have this darker tone to them and I think its because that’s how my lens were shaped. I think it also shaped the type of person that I am. Coming from nothing gives you the ability to be curious. Why? You already know what it’s like to have nothing. The only way is up. Ben Baller said “being broke is part of the game but staying broke is personal choice.” I feel like anyone who’s anyone came from nothing. And so that’s why you see me dive into so many different things: podcast, DJ, photography, videography, finance, dancing etc. It’s because I know what it’s like to have nothing and I was fine. So why not go for broke.