Oakland

OP-ED: Oakland Youth is A Survivor: ”A Rose that Grew from Concrete”

Published

11 years ago

November 20, 2014

By Joi Smith, Laney College student

In my community, it is hard to make friends, but losing them is easy. I look out for those I love and care about, but in my inconsistency, I tend to give up on friendships as they begin to part.

I’m from East Oakland where homicide rates will make you not want to walk the streets alone, but, like my faith, even a gunshot couldn’t stop me.

Joi Smith

I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was a long night of dancing and laughs on the block where I grew up. Two friends of mine had just gotten out of jail, so they were too elated. But they were more than friends – these two boys were like my brothers.

Typical of them, they started to play fight with me. Who knew this horse playing would turn into me risking my life.

I remember getting up off the ground ready to charge at them because they were playing entirely too much. I was thinking, here were my real friends?

Everyone thought it was funny that I had gotten so mad. But for me, laughing was the last thing on my mind. I was feeling overpowered. So I turned to my typical activity every week: fighting.

As soon as I began to call everyone out, people started telling me I was “trippin’.” I’m pretty sure I knew almost every single person standing on the corner, but it was so dark and all the black hoodies blinded me.

I heard someone call out, “Aye lil’ mama you trippin’ – you wanna hit the weed?”

My response was so intense that they wanted to take my life. Next thing you know, we heard back-to-back gunshots, and everyone scattered. I guess I believed that I was bullet proof because I was still in the middle of the street, talking crazy to someone that could have been my murderer.

I kept reminding him that he was in my territory.

My mom would have been very disappointed if she knew how “down” I was for my crew. One fight, we all fight. You have a problem with one, you have a problem with us all; that’s just how we were.

Losing three of the people I grew up with to gun violence was a wake-up call for me because I finally realized that the people close to me were slowly losing their lives. I know for me personally, God has been walking in my shadow my whole 16 years because I’m still here.

Like Tupac’s “rose that grew from the concrete,” I may have missing petals and broken stems, but I continue to grow daily. And let’s be realistic, you wouldn’t expect a rose to grow from concrete.

My life has shifted dramatically. I try my hardest to avoid gangs or situations that I know will be a bad influence. My mornings are less stressful, and I’m more motivated to get up, go to school, and move forward with my future goals.

I try to smile more. All I can do is be thankful for my growth and future success.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

March 22, 2026

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

3 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC