…I would reflect on what I’ve accomplished in my life so far. Have I done everything I wanted? Then I would spend the rest of my time with my family and closest friends. I would try to finish everything I wanted to finish, and I would eat a lot of food, I would just try to be happy with the people I love. I would want to spend my last hours with my friends, laughing and reminiscing, telling them thank you for being my friends. I would thank my parents for everything and I’d tell them about how sorry I was that I couldn’t fulfill all the hopes and dreams they had for me. I would want everyone to not be so devastated. It wouldn’t really be like a goodbye but a see you later.
(Arena)
…I would live every moment like the last. Since I would have 24 hours, and I had the money to do what I felt, the first thing I would do is set my funeral money aside. I hate when I have to see people on the side of the road with posters asking for donations for someone that died, so that would be the first thing I’d do. The second thing I would do is get my mom, dad, sister and all my closest friends and go snow boarding, record a song, attend a live show of 106 and Park, eat all day, even when I’m not hungry, go dumb while hanging out of an ice cream truck with the Pack, and then finally go to Hollywood to meet Travis from Gym Class Heroes, marry him, and die, so he becomes a widower because I’m not divorcing him.
(Ariel)
12AM – 1:30 AM
I would be up watching Late Night with Conan O Brian, hoping that the writer’s strike would be over, so he could be funny like he used to be. I would switch between watching Oprah and the Tyra show, depending on what was on either.
2:30 AM – 5AM
I would be watching World News Now with Ryan Owens and Taina Hernandez, reflecting on the past days events.
5AM – 11AM
Sleep, possibly dream…
11AM – 2:30 PM
I would go out to lunch with my boyfriend, I would tell him how much I love him, how much fun I’ve had with him, and express all of the things I would have liked to share with him.
2:30 PM – 3PM
Call my brother Isaiah in Ohio to say how fun it’s been being his sister.
3PM – 5PM
Wait for my dad to come home and tell him how difficult he’s made my life and my mother’s life. My death soon approaching would make him feel guilty.
5PM – 9PM
Talk and reminisce with my mother; tell her how much I love her. I would tell her that she is my best friend and that I want her to be happy and content.
9PM – 10PM
Say a final good bye to my boyfriend and my friends, probably get my ass kicked in DOA, then kick butt in Soul Caliber.
10PM – 12AM
Watch the evening news and write a quick will then a letter to myself, then die a peaceful death at home.
(Jaleesa)
…I would take all my college money out of the bank and go spend it on all kinds of things. Go to an all you can eat buffet, give my Auntie Joyce some money to pay her back for all she has done for me, then go spend the rest on things I would enjoy. Then after I did all of my spending, I would sit and write a letter to my Auntie Joyce and also myself. Next I would have my brand new PJs that I just purchased and put those on with my last cup of water. Then pray for the last hours I’m going to be alive and ask God for forgiveness for all I have done. Next, lay in my bed and wait…
(LaKenya)
…I would want to be happy the WHOLE 24 hours. The first thing I want to do is get everything off my chest about my mom. I would tell her about how I felt and what she did to me. But after all that I would pray that she gets her life together and maybe before I died, I would want her to accept me. But if not then that’s her loss. After that I would have everyone I know go out to eat with me. And just have a really good time. Eating and talking. And then eat some more. Then after, I would want to hang out with my best friend and my boyfriend. And just do whatever and go wherever I wanted to go. I would also cut my hair and dye it just to see how it would look. Then I would maybe break down and cry a little but then realize there’s nothing to cry about.
(Patrice)
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.
