Where I’m From

Jade Moffett

I come from the south side of Chicago
From corner stores and lakeshores
I come from the sweet smell
Of Sunday dinner, from the sounds
Of gunshots and a place where
Anybody can get shot

I come from 79th street and being
All in the streets, from grandmas belt
And crying from the welts I come
From sitting on the porch late nights
And getting yelled at for not Paying
Attention to the street lights

From not wanting to get my hair combed
I come from going outside and playing
With my friends, but not being able to stay till the end
From the fights me and my cousins
Had over who was gonna be the leader
And Playing the Xbox, but crying in the end

Because we knew somebody was a cheater
I come from 079 my family till I die
Although I always hoped I didn’t get shot
Due to a drive by, but it’s my hood
And when I make it out I’ll be saying
Goodbye without a second doubt.

Jade Moffett is a junior at Eastern Illinois University. They are working towards their Bachelors degree in Public Health, focusing on Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness. Jade double minors in Film Studies and Africana Studies. After graduation, Jade hopes to move her work to Washington, DC, in the Public Health department along with continuing on to a second bachelors degree in Film Writing at the Los Angeles Film School.