For Immediate Release: Contact: Michael

Learning for Life
For Immediate Release:
Transforming Lives
Contact:
Michael Anderer-McClelland,
Vice President for Mission Advancement
michael_anderer@demarillac.org
(415) 552-5220 x21
De Marillac Academy is proud to announce the publication of Beyond Words, the second annual De
Marillac Academy 8th Grade Anthology.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 18, 2014 – De Marillac Academy proudly announces the publication of Beyond
Words, the second annual De Marillac 8th Grade Anthology. In this text, these young men and women on
the threshold of entering high school discover their own voices, make themselves visible to the world that
frequently overlooks them, and stun the reader with their vision, compassion and strength.
Rich Hill, their teacher, writes in the forward, “Language is one of
the most essential parts of who are. Yet, how often do we allow
ourselves the chance to stop and contemplate the wealth of words
that surrounds us, what they mean, and where they lead? The
anthology is your invitation to feel the power of words, and to be
an active participant in the calls for transformation that spring
from its pages. These poets have written galaxies of meaning . . .
And rising up from this dynamic universe is a more hopeful future
that reaches well beyond words, far into a realm of real
understanding and profound change. ”
Mike Daniels, president of De Marillac Academy, writes to the
eighth grade authors, “Your voices and poetry exhibit such a
profound sense of vision and place that I was shaken into a deeper
sense of my own place, my own social location, and a broader,
more generous, more unitive vision of our shared world.”
De Marillac Academy educates underserved children, youth, and families of the Tenderloin and
surrounding communities. De Marillac provides an excellent 4th-8th grade, tuition-free school program, and
a dynamic youth and family support program that continues through high school and beyond. Ninetypercent of De Marillac’s graduates have completed high school compared to 75.5% National Graduation
Rate from public high school and 71% rate in the state of California. As private, faith-based school serving
low income families, more than 95% of expenses are sponsored by generous donations from individuals,
foundations, and corporations.
For more information about Rise Above or De Marillac Academy, please contact Mike Anderer-McClelland
at 415-552-5220 x 21 or michael_anderer@demarillac.org.
175 Golden Gate Avenue • San Francisco, CA 94102 • 415.552.5220 • Fax 415.621.5632 • www.demarillac.org
DE M A R I LLAC ACA DEM Y
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Contents
Foreword R ICH H I LL
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LIFE
Beyond Words TASBI H A LAT I F
My Life A LFONSO LOPEZ
Life Is Like a Camera LI TZ Y CRUZ
My Mind CH R IS G OM EZ
Me GA BR I ELA M A RT I N EZ
Rope A LFONSO LOPEZ
Reached A NA H I ORT I Z
Money BR I A N PER EZ
Youth T Y LER R A M I R EZ
Life LESLY CA Z A R ES
The Universe V I NCE DI ZON
My Unique Life I VA N NA QU I N TA L
The Most Sacred Thing TASBI H A LAT I F
Prints GA BR I ELA M A RT I N EZ
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4
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TENDERLOIN
Colorful Canvas M AT T H EW M EN DEZ
Dream Neighborhood TASBI H A LAT I F
A Game of Life and Death BR I A N PER EZ
Where It Is Dangerous I VA N NA QU I N TA L
Prostitution A LFONSO LOPEZ
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BEYOND WOR DS
Switched GLY DEL CH UA Gun CH R IS G OM EZ
Home, For Now A LEX V ELA ZQU EZ
That Girl from 6th Street K A ELA LACA P
Midnight LESLY CA Z A R ES
The Usual Way LI TZ Y CRUZ
I Am the Tenderloin GA BR I ELA M A RT I N EZ
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L OV E
Lives I Loved K H A LIQ LAT I MOR E
It Is What It Is A NA H I ORT I Z
A Nightmare That Sadly Comes True My Sister A LFONSO LOPEZ
Glints of Joy GLY DEL CH UA Knife A LEX V ELA ZQU EZ
Little Brother A NA H I ORT I Z
My Mom ISSAC MON TOYA
Toys A LEX V ELA ZQU EZ
An Angel Who Still Believes
in Our World H ELEN J I M EN EZ
The Ones I Love SER R A ER
Love Is Eternal J ESM I LA DAV IS
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H ELEN J I M EN EZ 40
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P E AC E
Which Way? H ELEN J I M EN EZ
I Am Your Brother, You Are My Sister Nothing T Y LER R A M I R EZ
Accept Them LU IS R A MOS
Chain of Violence LESLY CA Z A R ES
The Cycle A LFONSO LOPEZ
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EDZON H AGA PE
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Another Round M AT T H EW M EN DEZ
Humanity Unseen SEM I R A M IS N U N EZ
Peace is God F R EDDY ROSA LES
A Brighter Way K A ELA LACA P
Still Family BR I A N PER EZ
Weapons of Humans A LEX V ELA ZQU EZ
Peace and Violence: I VA N NA QU I N TA L
This Silly Fight EDZON H AGA PE
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B E AU T Y
Colors J ESM I LA DAV IS
A Secret Language H ELEN J I M EN EZ Golden Era T Y LER R A M I R EZ
Rain Redesigning V I NCE DI ZON
The Loyal Bee GLY DEL CH UA I Remember When F R EDDY ROSA LES My Soul LI TZ Y CRUZ
Beyond the Beautiful Layers K H A LIQ LAT I MOR E
The Forest CH R IS G OM EZ
True Images J ESM I LA DAV IS
Believe T Y LER R A M I R EZ
Beauty of Life LU IS R A MOS
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HOPE
Top of the World A LEX V ELA ZQU EZ
Pulling Me In A NA H I ORT I Z
Hope-less K H A LIQ LAT I MOR E
A Pool of Blue A LEX V ELA ZQU EZ
The Children GA BR I ELA M A RT I N EZ
Struggle LI TZ Y CRUZ
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BEYOND WOR DS
Chains Will Break J ESM I LA DAV IS
The Stress of Being Young ISSAC MON TOYA
Piercing Silence A NA H I ORT I Z
Fear SER R A ER
Hopeful Bubbles SEM I R A M IS N U N EZ
Buried In Sand TASBI H A LAT I F Dream Catcher GLY DEL CH UA Rise T Y LER R A M I R EZ
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THANKS
Acknowledgements About Us
About the Poets
artwork Matthew Mendez
M I K E DAN I ELS
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a rt work Jesmila Davis
BEYOND WOR DS
Beyond Words
Ta sbi h a L at i f
Am I what I am?
A penny that’s worth nothing or
A pink diamond that’s worth everything?
No. I’m neither of these.
I am everything I want to be.
You can’t put a price on me.
I am a maze confusing and frustrating.
I am the glowing moon at night
And a deep purple fog surrounding it.
I am another world, undiscovered and profound.
I am another piece of a precious puzzle
Which calls itself the earth.
I am everything I want to be;
I am another half of me.
I am soaring in a graceful flock of birds,
Flying into a beautiful life beyond words.
3
artwork Alex Velazquez
BEYOND WOR DS
Colorful Canvas
M at t h ew M e n de z
The colorful canvas continues expanding.
The smiles on the concrete show their pride,
And so many wait for the art to be unveiled.
The artists haven’t finished this one yet.
Kids ponder, trying to figure when,
Just when, it will be done?
Some grow to forget.
Will their children have to wait as well?
All I see is people moving others away
From the colorful canvas.
Mothers avoid their kid’s questions;
They don’t know what to answer.
No certain skill is needed to complete this.
My eyes are hoping I’ve been blind,
But I’ve grown and now see everything clear.
We must use our uniqueness
If we wish to create beauty.
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Dream Neighborhood
Ta sbi h a L at i f
I open up the photo album
To see where I am today
And compare.
Things have changed a lot.
Dirt and filth were far away,
Whereas now cleanliness
Is nowhere.
Yet, I see a brighter future,
A dream neighborhood.
Today, I see drug addicts
At every corner.
Visitors walking fast;
They’re scared.
Yet, I see a brighter future,
A dream neighborhood.
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Looking out the door,
Crimes happening everywhere.
All the time, nothing new.
BEYOND WOR DS
Walking home from school,
People yelling, “Kids comin’ through!”
They realize what they’re doing is wrong.
But what difference does it make?
It makes a big difference.
People are trying to make
A change.
And so I see a dream neighborhood.
I close the album knowing
There might be a chance.
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