Oakland

I’ve been living in Oakland my whole life and have experienced many things. In my opinion Oakland is quite a unique city. Many people come from my city and made something of themselves, whereas some people don’t get the same opportunity. Growing up in Oakland wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine, especially when high school started. A switch went off from middle school to high school, many people got involved with drugs and gangs and a lot more people were in jail. Almost every month there was something new happening. You can’t go through your Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat without seeing free my brother/sister or RIP by someone's name. There has been 4 major deaths that have occurred in Oakland involving minors that have affected many people I know. Davon, a freshman at the time that attended my high school, was shot while walking home. Jamari and JoJo, two extremely close best friends, drowned in a lake on Memorial Day. Last but not least Reggina, she was shot after praise dancing at Jamari and JoJo’s funeral. Oakland will also be my city and I will also carry it on my back but right now it’s getting out of hand. To many young people are dying before they reach the age of sixteen, and if you don’t then that’s a blessing. A bunch of people I meet that live in Oakland have one main goal ; to get out. Oakland is a great city and will always love it. But the true question is, does it have the potential to change and become a safe environment?