Project: Jail
Outreach Program (JOP)
Organization: Homeless Prenatal Program
San Francisco, CA
Valentine Love Letters 
Demetria,
What is it? How are you doing? I am just writing
you to let you know that you are a beautiful, intelligent,
black female. I know that you have made a lot of
wrong choices in your life, but nobody is perfect.
You just have to start loving yourself more. If you
loved yourself like you said you did, you wouldn't
put yourself in predicaments like the one you are
in now. I just wrote you to let you know I still
love you and you just got to start loving yourself
more.
Love,
Demetria
Dear Me,
Hey Jeannette! How ya' doin'? I wanted to let you
know I love you. I don't tell you enough. I love
you so much. You are a good person. I know you've
got a kind heart. You mean well. You care about others
in a real way. Their feelings matter to you. You
are genuine and plan on being someone. You are somebody.
You are good and I'm proud of you.
I'd like you to improve in your planning. Planning
your future, your goals, what do you want to do?
What do you want to study? What kind of career would
you like to focus on? I really want you to grow up
and realize that you're running out of time. It's
now or never ... Remember what Grandma used to say? "Eagles
fly with eagles, and fish swim with fish." Am
I gonna hang with the winners and handle my business?
The decision is all yours. It's up to me. You can
do it, Girl.
Love ya always.
A Letter from Tish
Dear Danesha,
My baby girl, how is Mama’s baby? Well, I
know you have been wondering where I’ve been.
Just because I’m not around, that doesn’t
mean that I don’t love you. I am very proud
of my little girl. Give Mama a kiss! Well, since
I’m back in your life, we are going to get
to know each other. Okay? I want you to tell me your
dreams and your feelings, Baby. Mama is sorry for
not being there for you. Please forgive me, okay?
I was under a spell called
“hard white.” But God has chased that
spell off me and now I’m back. You don’t
have to call me Mama if you don’t want to ‘cause
I know I haven’t been there to be called “Mama.”
Please, Danesha, give me a chance, okay? I love you.
Love, Tish
My Precious Baby Girl
by Keynna
Sweet and loving, Baby Girl
Huggable and Precious, Baby Girl
Looking into your eyes,
I never really thought they were mine.
Maaliyah Terrion is the name that came to mind
My Precious Baby Girl
I yearn to hear your voice, to see your walk,
To play with you, or to watch you sleep.
I love you, sweetheart.
I’ve told you this a number of times.
Mommy loves you.
My Precious Little Girl. I miss you so much.
It’s hard to really sit with the fact that
I won’t be coming home
To you, but rest assured I’m not giving up
Mommy has faith in you returning to me
I made you a promise that I plan to keep
I told you that I wouldn’t let those people
keep you
Mommy’s coming for her
A Poem
by Adeline
I sit in my room
Lost in my thoughts
Hoping that some day I can turn
Back the clock.
Did you ever get this surge of
Energy to do something?
Surprised how that feeling jumped
Out of nowhere?
Well, me, too.
Take this class and the class last night.
Where that feeling jumped out.
It feels as if I could run a thousand miles
Or write me a paradise I dreamed last night.
This surge of energy—
I feel I want to trap it in a bottle
And maybe I could sell it.
Hoping that one of you
Might be able to stop—
And catch the energy, too.
How Am I Different
by Ja'Sheika
There’s just me
One Uno
There’s no other
I’m the only Ja’Sheika I know
There’s just myself
One Uno
There’s no other but
I still need space to grow
No other has my eyes
No other has my smile
No other has my personality
No other has my style
If I multiply 2 X 2 is it 4 me
And if I add 3 to get 9 minus 8
That just leaves me
I’m 4 real as can be
And I know there’s no other
Like me.
How am I different
You tell me on the outside
Looking in what differences
Can you see.
I am what I am
And that “I” I am is me.
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