This is a fictional, but realistic story about Char-lama, a 15-year-old black girl who lives in the hood with her mother and two younger brothers. Because her father is incarcerated, Char-lama's mother is the head of her household. Working two jobs does not keep Char-lama's mother from struggling to put food on the table and pay rent. Fortunately, Char-lama has a praying grandmother, who along with her mother, are determined that Char-lama will not become a product of her environment but become a leader for her environment.
Char-lama's journey will be filled with struggles, obstacles and challenges as she desperately tries to reach the other side of the hood. There are multiple people who will play a role in the center of Char-lama’s universe. Her grandmother, Mrs. Pearl, her Uncle Earl, her cousin Prosper, his mother, Aunt Peaches, her best friends, Aaliyah, Maya and Tavon, and boyfriend Kvon. The moral of this story is "Char-lama may live in the hood, but the hood does not live in her."
This is a fictional, but realistic story about Char-lama, a 15-year-old black girl who lives in the hood with her mother and two younger brothers. Because her father is incarcerated, Char-lama's mother is the head of her household. Working two jobs does not keep Char-lama's mother from struggling to put food on the table and pay rent. Fortunately, Char-lama has a praying grandmother, who along with her mother, are determined that Char-lama will not become a product of her environment but become a leader for her environment.
Char-lama's journey will be filled with struggles, obstacles and challenges as she desperately tries to reach the other side of the hood. There are multiple people who will play a role in the center of Char-lama’s universe. Her grandmother, Mrs. Pearl, her Uncle Earl, her cousin Prosper, his mother, Aunt Peaches, her best friends, Aaliyah, Maya and Tavon, and boyfriend Kvon. The moral of this story is "Char-lama may live in the hood, but the hood does not live in her."
Char-lama lives in the Second Chance housing projects located in Eastville, Youngstown with her mother, Charlene and two brothers, 12-year-old Javin and 10-year-old Marcus. Char-lama does not like living in the hood but makes the best of her environment by drowning out all the noise.
She is a freshman at TW High School. Javin and Marcus attend BT Williams Elementary and Junior High School. To ease the stress on her mother who often comes home exhausted from working two jobs, Char-lama helps with getting her brothers ready for school and their homework. Every morning, she cooks them oatmeal, but they rather eat a bowl of cereal and drink a glass of Kool-Aid.
Javin plays on the junior varsity basketball team while all Marcus wants to do is look at girls. Marcus thinks he is a 10-year-old ladies’ man. The one thing he does have is a whole lotta of his father’s DNA. Something Charlene wish she could dissect. The good thing is that Marcus likes school and gets good grades. All their schools are in walking distance of each other which makes it easier for Char-lama who makes sure they get to school safely.
An honor roll student with a 4.0 grade point average, school is where Char-lama feels alive and free. She is the captain of the cheerleading squad for the school’s football and basketball teams. Not one to feel insecure, Char-lama is more modest than vain but does not use her pretty looks to boast her self-esteem. Her confidence is strong enough to be confident.
Char-lama’s life is no different than the average teenage girl. She likes going window shopping at the mall, fixing her own hair, doing her nails and feet with the latest designs, tweeting on social media networks, listening to hip-hop, and hanging out with her friends. Her hobbies include writing about her daily activities in her diary, writing poetry and dancing. She loves playing big sister to her brothers, spending time with her grandmother, and losing herself in her ambitions of becoming a journalist.
Char-lama likes boys but is distrustful of their intentions. She believes that most of the boys who live in the hood also live in the streets. Her father’s incarceration has played a major role in her inability to trust them and feel safe. Charlene will not allow him to have any contact with his children, so Char-lama has not seen or heard from her father since his incarceration. She resents him for the pain he caused her mother leaving her to raise three children on her own.
Overall, she is an intelligent, articulate, and well-mannered young lady who does not smoke or drink like some of her friends do. She knows that the only way out of the hood is through education. Her mother will not allow her to lose sight of that no matter what goes on around her.
It is difficult to change
the odds of not
experiencing trials and tribulations
through this journey
called life. Challenges
can be difficult
and triumphs even harder.
Char-lama in her young
life will face both.