Transcript
"Juvenile Emancipation" Looking back over this ole life, a young buck adolescent. Sitting there in front of a judge quite perplexed of my hearing being conducted for emancipation. Often throughout the proceedings I was a bit baffled. As a teen I lacked the intellectual ability to comprehend the magnitude of this decision to be rendered. Although factors were taken into account by the judge at his discretion. Perhaps I should have provided some input. Certainly the task was exclusively delegated to him, with such an imperative crucial decision at stake, to not object by advocating on my own volition was a mistake. I cant change the past of what transpired that day. What I can do is convey to you that if you ever encounter this predicament as a youngster, please make the proper decision in your best interest. See the broad picture of life. For certainly theyll be fallout as a result of you being granted emancipation. Absolutely, to some extent for the time being in the moment it will appear you'll lap in the luxury of freedom, with the yoke of the parental reign dismantled. In time I can assure you you'll be deceived by your own conduct as you sabotage an thwart your future. Life is not fun and games. As a emancipated teenager legally declared an adult, you'll only have a short window of opportunity. Theyll be no room not even a inkling for margin of error! As a teenager its critical indeed. Let alone being subject to this emancipation period. Encountering this precarious situation can often lead to inevitable doom. The problem with this scenario is that without parental guidance you'll have a tendency to get into trouble. Thats your choice if you decide to run amok. As tempting as that will appear, this road wont be a glorious one. I can only hope an pray that you'll take productive measures to better yourself. What you do in your teens will set the entire process in motion. Dont get the game misconstrued. Its possible being emancipated and still succeed, with the right mentor to encourage you, inspire you, help assist you in the right direction. Things can, things will gradually develop for a bright future. Thats what you must strive for. Having to endure the burden of emancipation will be a heavy load to bear. Just be a kid. Forget about being on your own with responsibilities. Reach out to your parents that love you unconditionally. They havent abandoned you. They care. Certainly thats true. I know. Stop shaking your head. Its not far fetched to fathom. They truly want whats best for you. I wish I could go back today. Wave a magic wand. Change the mistakes I made in my youth. Theres nothing worse than causing irreparable harm to yourself, frequently without ever realizing it. Whatever compelled you to venture off on your own, you got to look within the fabric of your being, peruse your soul. Find the courageous audacity to forgive your parents or your siblings in every aspect. Dont let this haunt you no more. Return on home lil one. Its a scary cold world out there to be self sufficient. Those cold street corners would only chew you up and spit you out. Forgive me for being a tad harsh. Its just I have a moral obligation to focus on the realities of life. Which has given my life meaning to breathe life back into a sin sick soul. I wont butter it up or stroke your ego, for the perplexities of youth can be a bit overwhelming. As a juvenile offender who has been incarcerated 23 years, my heart aches as my spirit grieves. Cognizant of the fact that statistics indicate that the vast majority of teenagers who serve a short stint in juvenile hall then end up in prison later in life. Together we must win lil one. We must fight this generational curse. Break this cycle of recidivism and poverty. Dont allow them to profit off your misery. Enabling them to preserve the status quo for job security purposes. Cashing in at your expense. As your life dwindles away in sorrow. They'll laugh, mock, ridicule, ostracize you. All while living in there lavish homes and driving there fancy cars. My [boy?], this may be too heavy for you since your still beholden to your peer pressure friends. Carry on. Lay, play, have fun in the sun, my premonition would be that route to be very self destructive. Theyll be ample opportunities to capture the vivid memories later. At this junction of your crossroad youth, the battle rages on in your mind. If you get nothing else I said, remember this. When you conquer your mind, you'll have won the battle to distinguish right from wrong. What a powerful tool that is to utilize. To differentiate an have the ability to discern any given scenario is such a relief that most folks aint capable of. You got to cast all that junk aside. Be well beyond your years. Depend and rely on your intellect. Make the proper decisions without rushing to judgement. Be very, very careful. As a teen I got caught up in the game of impulsive reaction. This you must contend with wholeheartedly otherwise it would only fester into ruling your emotions. If dealt with in a decent way, in any given situation the outcome would be resolved in a more appropriate manner. This instinct of impulsiveness is a long drawn out process of youth. As you grow older an learn from your mistakes you become wiser. I urge you to expediate the process. You'll save yourself an abundance of grief. Be a better person. Things rapidly can get blown out of proportion. As thats what concerns me, in one instance your entire life can be ruined. Just be mindfull. Peep out the scene. Work diligently in creating the person you anticipated in becoming. Theres nothing more profound than your actions speaking volumes. That will assuredly silence your critics. They said you'll never amount to nothing. Is that a accurate assessment. Absolutely not. Shut them down. For once in your life make your love ones proud. They care. Love you immensely. Enquire about scholarships, grants, loans. Many opportunities exist. See what applies to fit the criteria. The solutions are there if you would only take the liberty to look. Time is of the essence. Its now or never. You cant procrastinate any longer. Your running out of time. If you never hear my voice again, I want you to know I got faith and confidence in you. Your very bright. You are somebody whos capable of implementing change in your life, all on your own accord. The gifts you posses are inside of you. You have incredible talents that remain dormant. All because you expend a tremendous amount of energy on fruitless efforts. If you would channel and redirect this energy, ooh my lord. Do you realize what you would accomplish. Find some type of outlet to engage in a constructive measure. Break the monotony of your day. Peace out. Always keep hope alive. Before I take my seat, would you allow me to say one last thing. To the old fella of 64 years of age, Joe. Your caretaker misses you. Thanks for the 3 years we had. Thanks my friend. Thanks for the good times. ------------------------ Martinez appeared in "Fourth City essays from the Prison in America", published in 2013 by Michigan State University press, pages 176-178. In the back portion of book, "Notes on Contributors" it states verbatim: Brandon Martinez has devoted his life to change. With his prolific essays and poems he constantly grasps the moral fortitude to make a difference. In spite of being in the midst of chaos and despair, he realizes that one individual gesture of kindness word of encouragement or token of good will can have a significant impact in altering the course of anothers life for the better. He believes that it is only by our contributions that we will ever save ourselves and urges us to keep hope alive.
