My Neighborhood

My family and I resided in the upper tenderloin for most of my upbringing. I lived on Nob Hill, the very first hill the cable cars runs up on. From what I remember there was three liquor stores, bars, a sushi place, pizza joint, and hills all around me. My neighborhood was like every other neighborhood but a little weirder. I know one thing for sure there was always that quiet creepy feeling that came to me after 10 in the area. I would prefer coming in early due to the fact that there was a high rate of sex offenders in the neighborhood just lurking around.  I guess all those liquor stores and bars weren’t a big help after all. Growing up in a neighborhood where people start to get familiar with your face isn’t always safe the reason why is that I’m speaking from my own experiences and others. I grew up in fear but became fearless after realizing the game. 

I am who I am because of the neighborhood I lived in. Growing up in that type of neighborhood made a cautious person. It really put my instincts to the test. Me and my mother, being women was even harder because we were targeted even more. I also know that my father and older brother were also influenced with the nonsense taking place outside of our building. After that, it just took an effect on the entire family. All that noise and drama soon became an everyday thing. So I came to realize that my decisions played a huge part in the neighborhood as well. I had to protect myself from all the neighborhood nonsense and started to make wiser decisions rather than competing and having over the top kind of pride. Overall, living in that type of neighborhood made me stronger, wiser and prepared for the next one because I knew that wasn’t going to be the last type of neighborhood I would come across in my life.