My Home on My Own Andre Mhoon
The ConTextos Authors Circle was developed in collaboration with young people at-risk of, victims of, or perpetrators of violence in El Salvador. In 2017 this innovative program expanded into Chicago to create tangible, high quality opportunities that nourish the minds, expand the voices and share the personal truths of individuals who have long been underserved and underestimated. Through the process of drafting, revising and publishing memoirs, participants develop self-reflection, critical thinking, camaraderie and positive self-projection to author new life narratives. Since January 2017 ConTextos has partnered with Cook County Sheriff's Office to implement Authors Circle in Cook County Department of Corrections as part of a vision for reform that recognizes the value of mental health, rehabilitation and reflection. These powerful memoirs complicate the narratives of violence and peace building, and help author a hopeful future for human beings behind walls, their families and our collective communities. While each author’s text is solely the work of the Author, the image used to create this book’s illustrations have been sourced by various print publications. Authors curate these images and then, using only their hands, manipulate the images through tearing, folding, layering and careful positioning. By applying these collage techniques, Authors transform their written memoirs into illustrated books. This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number ALN 21.027 awarded to Cook County by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
My Home on My Own Andre Mhoon
Body
Having the first keys to my first apartment felt like a dream. Like it was unreal that I really had my own place and lived alone.
I started off doing apartment searches online to view the pictures before I saw it in person to choose which one.
I was interested to live in and also see if the area was good and safe so I could live there in peace without hearing gunshots and avoid violence and crime around me.
The dangers of Rogers Park but I have saved some money for a security deposit and filled out the application for the apartment I wanted and waited for the inspection so I knew everything was ok for me to live there.
I chose a one bedroom apartment with a big full size room, big full size living room, half big bathroom, half big kitchen and half big walk in hallway and 3 half big closets for clothes or anything you would like to use it for.
And what I like about the apartment I picked is that it was brand new, all wooden floors all around in the apartment, nice and shiny and brown.
No carpet floors, so I was thinking to myself to clean less.
All I have to do is sweep and mop. I stayed on the third floor upstairs so I was ok with more high up. I can see a good view outside my windows.
I felt safer that way as well, not having to worry about nobody breaking in my apartment. If I was on the first floor it would have been more risky for that to happen.
That's how I was thinking, not saying it was going to happen, just thinking about reality and my apartment.
I look at it like it’s a penthouse, all big and cozy lol there was not a moment happier in my life than seeing my mother’s face when I had bought my first apartment. She brought over groceries and housewarming gifts.
Her plan was to cook a homemade Jamaican meal at my place. She made some fire curry chicken and rice and curry shrimp, rice and gravy which was my favorite dish growing up as a kid.
Mom, if you're reading this right now, I want you to know that your cooking is the best I’ve ever had in my lifetime.
I will always love your cooking and the things you gave me and taught me. You taught me to be a man and to take care of things on my own.
You taught me how to cook, but nothing can top mama's cooking, it’s not the same as us youngins lol.
As time goes by, I started getting things for my place. Furniture, TVs, bedside dressers, so now things are getting crowded looking more like a home, at peace relaxing.
Friends and family started to come visit me whenever they got a chance to check on me or to just spend time with me because most times I’m by myself just chilling.
Most times it be fun at my place. We live, love, laugh.
My place was a peace of mind when family and friends came over.
I’ve been living at my apartment for three years, going on four years.
I've been through summer, winter, fall and spring in my apartment.
For the family and friends they stayed in different areas in Chicago or out of Chicago, so if they came to visit me they would call first before they came the day before or on that day or for the next day. But I also had lady friends that came over sometimes to spend time with me and check on me, cook with me or just having fun. Let's get back to the apartments, in person interviews of different apartments. They were nice but not as much as the ones I was living in. The other ones were like carpets and not much updated, not even a washer and dryer machine. But the apartment I was living in had a washer and dryer so I was happy about that, I didn't need to go anywhere to wash clothes. I can just wash it at home. Plus my landlord was cool and chill and so was the maintenance man. He was cool too and so were the people in my apartment complex.
I had holidays at my place like Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, New Years, and a lot more things. Just all good vibes, fun and happiness. As me having my own place really a big step for me, it opens my eyes to a bigger picture because it’s a lot of people that don’t have a place of they own. Just homeless on the streets staying in tents outside or living with a friend or in a shelter or just worse places than me, so I gotta be thankful of what I got and not take it for granted. I learned that once you have your own place, take care of it and don’t lose it because blessings come around and you gotta have your eyes open to catch it. Having your own place or trying to get a place don’t come easy. Gotta wait and see if you approve and some apartments search will give you a hard time to choose what apartment you can be in to settle down in. But I caught a blessing of the apartment I chose so I’m grateful so now I’m just looking for my next step to a bigger apartment for my future kids or a big family house for my kids and for family and friends to come over. The end. Moving forward to chapter 2.
Andre Mhoon
Until the lion learns to write their own story, tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter - African Proverb Copyright
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