2d ago

Grew up in the hood AMA

Just switched from Reddit FYI

Until I went off to college in the city, I lived in a pretty dangerous hood in Baltimore with my single mom who had multiple jobs as a waitress, and a stripper at night (also provided escort services to some of her customers, and I slept in the bathtub when she did :/ ). When I was around 15, I cleaned windows & did yard work for a lot of my mom’s customers/clients to help with expenses. I could tell my mom hated her jobs, but she did what she had to, to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. We stayed in a tiny one bedroom apartment, and my mom would come home at 3-4 am every night. Dad went to prison when I was young for assault, and I grew up around a lot of violence/drugs in general. Now I make okay money and I’ve brought my mom to the safer side of the city, but honestly I wouldn’t be where I am now without her hard work.

30 comments

Congrats on playing “life” in hard mode and getting ahead. And props to your mom.
Two questions:
Do you have a relationship with your dad?
How did you stay out of the drugs/violence growing up?
I've studied college transition professionally and am curious about your case, how was your route to college? You don't have to give specific locations and stuff, of course, but was it through a 2 year or a 4 year with scholarship, etc?
- got a 4 year full ride
  
  Any advice on that front for others who might need it?
Other than the bad Baltimore accents, would you say The Wire reasonably portrayed life on the streets in Baltimore?
- Honestly yeah where I was but it’s slightly exaggerated 😂
If you could go back in time to visit your mom in her most difficult moment raising you, what would you say to her?
- Given the situation I think she did best she could but I definitely would have told her to prioritize herself sometimes. She was constantly working to provide for me and she never really took time for herself to relax.
How did you survive (as in, your character and soul) in the hood compared to your peers? Like, not get sucked in the mentality?
- I think a lot of people wanted the quick and easy route to making money which led to a lot of dangerous activity. But since I was around 10ish, I always kinda just kept my head down and just payed attention in class. I was alone at our apartment alot so I had a lot of time on my hands to just study/find my interests. I was pretty bad socially so I never really made friends, my only friend throughout my childhood was my momma 😂. I guess it kinda kept me out of bad circles I dunno.
Growing up without a father, do you plan to take any steps to alleviate that burden with other kids doing the same nowadays?
I ask because I grew up the same way, and although I'm not in a position that I can right now. I'd like to be.
How would you take advantage of what you've learned and know and tackle that, even if it's not something you want to pursue.
- This is something I’ve thought about for sure. Honestly I’m still not completely stable but once I am I will definitely try to.
  Side tangent sorta: I feel like my father being out of my life was much better than if he was still in my life. It’s one thing to have a father, and it’s another thing to have a good father.
What's a moment or event in your past where the community came together or helped a situation? alternatively, besides your mother, who is one person from your past community you would like to highlight that also helped you become the person you are today?
- I remember this girl got killed in a crossfire, and everyone in the community showed up to her family’s house and left flowers.
  Honestly i didn’t have any great friends in school and my mom was the only one who was consistently there for me, so i dont think there was anybody else which might be surprising.
  
  Damn dude, give mom a hug and let her know that you see her, and we all do too. She did well and so did you.
Good for you. Baltimore hoods are no joke.
Welcome here
!newtolemmy@lemmy.ca can help you
Welcome to Lemmy! :)
What advice would you give your younger self?
- Wish I spent less time studying and more time working to help take the load of my mom.
Have you ever traveled below the Mason Dixon line and what was your experience as Yankee?
- Baltimore is south of the Mason-Dixon line. Mason and Dixon surveyed the border between Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware.
  In the mid-19th century, Maryland was a slave state but did not secede and join the Confederacy. Enslaved Marylanders were, thus, not freed by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, since that only targeted seceding states under Union Army occupation. Slavery in Maryland ended in 1864 with the adoption of a new state constitution.
  
  Dang you're right, thanks 👍🏻
- Baltimore is below the Mason Dixon line
  
  Wow you're right. I wonder why I associate them with Yankees in my mind

30 comments