When you died, there was an emptiness inside.
There was no one to talk to but that’s in my eyes.
It was like there was no meaning to life.
But again, in my eyes,
that’s just when someone special to you dies.
I will never forget you cause I know you’re still near.
If you were still here would you want me to be happy,
this I’m sure about.
You were the one who brought me to this world,
and my love for you is endless,
and that’s without a doubt.
I was a little girl only two years old.
I started growing up and my heart grew cold.
I was just so young I didn’t understand.
But now I’m older and I can picture your last stand.
I thought it was suicide and that you didn’t care.
But it could have been an accident, you
probably had me on your mind.
It could have been homicide,
that’s even worse to bear.
It could have been drugs, taking control.
But I found out you loved and I wasn’t left behind.
When you died, mom, I felt so bad at first
that my life was so horrible I had a living curse.
But all my doubts are gone.
Instead of crying in my life,
I try but again in my eyes, that’s just when
someone special to you dies.
In 2006, over 25 youth began participating in weekly after-school writing workshops where they congregated in the hallway of a two-story building in West Fresno and learned the essentials of creating media and telling their stories. The group evolved over the next five years and is now proudly recognized as The kNOw Youth Media.
Through our program, we create opportunities for our youth participants, who in turn create long-term positive change in their communities. Our approach weaves youth development and youth media innovation to produce our biannual youth publication, multimedia projects, and community forums.
The kNOw began as a project of New America Media, which was the country’s first and largest national collaboration and advocate of 2000 ethnic news organizations. In 2018 The kNOw became a project of Youth Leadership Institute.
