Talia's Blog

Talia Rivera
A mother’s life; arrived at from drugs, teen pregnancy, and jail, through faith and gang intervention.

archives

May 26, 2009
"Why?"
My three-year-old niece sat in the back seat as I drove home. I was looking forward to spending the weekend with her. "What is that noise?" she asked. "What noise?" "It sounds like thunder." "What is that building?" she asked. "That is where your Mommy goes to college." "What is the building doing?" "Nothing. It’s closed." "Why is it closed?" "It’s Saturday." I tried explaining to her the difference between a week day and a weekend. "Why is it the weekend?" she asked. "I don’t know," I said, giving up. "Auntie Talia?" "Yes?" "Why don’t you know?" There are...
Aunts, Curiosity, Inquisitiveness, Nieces
May 25, 2009
Our Stories
Like letters which become sentences that grow into paragraphs, likewise our lives are written. Our table of contents properly sorts the chapters of our lives, and provides them with subtitles. We dedicate our stories to someone for some reason... my family, my children, my third grade teacher Ms. Johnson for believing in me. Every book begins in a different way... she was born, he died, they lived. Each chapter discloses who we are, why we are. She stood before us in a board room and passionately prodded us, saying, “We are advocates for kids.” She opened her book and read an excerpt. “...
Child Advocacy
May 22, 2009
A Letter from Down South
I excitedly ripped open the envelope. “Hey T, what it do,” he wrote. He is craving Boston like a pregnant woman craves chocolate chip ice cream. “I wish I had a Boston Herald or Globe,” he said. “I’m so out of touch with the city, it’s crazy.” Earlier this year, I sat in a Federal Court House beside his mother, sister, and girlfriend, praying that the judge would extend mercy. We were looking for the kind of mercy that God gives us everyday. Even though we snub Him, He still loves us enough to let us try again the next day. “I’m good. Playing a lotta basketball, softball, pool, chess,...
Gangs, Prison
May 18, 2009
Stats vs. Rings
While we watched the Los Angeles Lakers play the Houston Rockets in game seven, someone asked, "Who is the greatest basketball player ever?" "Michael Jordan," my brother-in-law said without hesitation. Felix asked, "What makes a basketball player great? Is it his stats or the number of championship rings he’s won?" Assertively and persuasively someone proposed that winning championship rings is what makes you great. "It’s the stats!" Felix disputed. "Robert Horry has seven championship rings. Is he a great player?" "Points, rebounds, assist, blocks -- there isn’t a category that...
Basketball, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Statistics
May 15, 2009
Inspiration/memories/puzzlement
A mind can think of many things in just a few seconds. At a red light, I listened to Jeremy Camp. He sang, "We are the light to reach this world." I was motivated. I saw Jessie, an old friend of my mother’s, standing in front of a local pawn shop. Seeing him brought back many memories. As a little girl, I remembered looking into the glass counter that displayed the jewelry someone never returned to retrieve. My mother negotiated with the teller, "Can you give me fifty dollars for these earrings? They’re fourteen-carat gold," she said. Jessie was the manager of a dance group I was in...
Homelessness, Urban Life
May 13, 2009
“U sure?”
My phone vibrated while I listened to a panelist talk about youth violence and policy with a group of political progressives. I looked at the phone. It was one of the boys. I texted. “In meeting. Can’t answer. If you want community service hours go to church at 8-9 pm and sit in youth group meeting. I will not be there. I will be late. But my husband is expecting you all.” He wrote, “Wat happen.” “Do you want to do some community service,” I asked. “Yeah,” he said. “Alright, go to the church at 8. I will be late. But my husband--” “Food there?” he asked “No…LOL.” “Ight,” he said....
Gangs, Government, Intervention, Politics
May 11, 2009
Songs that Changed Our Lives.
In baritone, a voice hummed the old Negro hymn - "Wade in the water, wade in the water children, God is gonna trouble the water." God troubled the stream, subsequently we sang, "We shall overcome, we'll walk hand and hand, we shall live in peace, we are not afraid." Deep in our hearts we watched spiritual songs and old Negro hymns seductively became more attractive, more alluring - pop, rock, and rhythm & blues. Superstitious writing on the wall coveted Jessie's girl. We "Speaking words of wisdom, let it be." Then a new kid brazened the block. They called it rap. Its beat blared...
Hannah Montana, Music, Tupac Shakur
May 10, 2009
“Happy Mother's Day”
My husband looked at the caller ID. “It’s your mother.” I grabbed the phone and stared at it. I wasn’t going to answer. I wasn’t going to answer because I knew she wanted to wish me a happy mother’s day. But something compelled me to pick up. “Hello.” “Lia, happy mother’s day,” she said. I didn’t want to say it back but I did, “Same to you.” “Are you getting ready for church?” “Yes,” I replied. “Enjoy your day,” she said, before hanging up. I got into the shower and began to cry. I cried because I feel sorry for my mother. I am sorry that she has been abusing crack cocaine for over...
Daughters, Mother's Day, Mothers
May 10, 2009
To Terminate at Will
“Employees-at-will,” the professor said, “What does that term really mean?” The class sat silently. The question was rhetorical, I assumed. “We are going to watch a video,” he said. He pressed play. The video gave examples of employees-at-will principles. Can an employer really terminate you at will? “For any reason, or for no reason at all,” I thought. “Discrimination,” the video explained, “is the act of--” My cell phone vibrated. It was my sister-in-law. The subject line was, “Hey.” The text read: “15 year old shot twice in the head on his way to school this morning. Dudley and...
Urban Life, Violence
May 8, 2009
Wormologist
The best time to make a sand cake was after the rain has settled down. The sand held together better when it was soggy. This week has been rainy. I walked toward school, looked down, and saw worms crawling on the sidewalk. I stopped to remember the days I would pick up a worm, put it into a paper cup and poke at it with a stick. I smiled, stepped over the worms, and walked into the building.
Childhood Memory
May 6, 2009
Me, the Stranger
Urban city streets are like a mysterious woman who is attractive yet distant, unpredictable and fated. You’ll know when she doesn’t trust you any longer; when you’ve crossed over to mainstream, because she’ll treat you like a stranger. I have been marginalized.
Urban Life
May 4, 2009
The World's finest chocolate
My son was overjoyed. After school he jumped into the back seat, opened his book bag and pulled out an envelope and said, “Mommy, I am selling candy; do you want to buy some?” I remembered the World’s finest chocolate bars – caramel, almond and crispy rice. He talked so fast, his words were running over each other. “I am going to knock on doors in our building, I am going to take it to church and sell candy to the Pastor. Mommy, can you take it to work and ask your co-workers to buy some? “You are not selling any candy,” I said. “Why?” Lil' Danny asked. “Because I said so!” “That is not...
Childhood Memories, Daughters, Drugs, Mothers