I Survived the Streets and Built a New Life in Thailand

Create the life you desire . By Janet Yang, Wiki Web Warrior Staff (This as told by essay omits names and contains fictionalized elements. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.) My older brother died when I was just 15 years old. I’ll never forget that day if I live to be 100. Growing up black in Chicago takes hustle and luck. Don’t believe anyone who tells you differently. My brother Terence and I grew up with a single mother. Daddy split when I was 5 and Terence was 10. My mom worked long hours to keep us fed and clothed. But that meant we fended for ourselves most of the time when she was at the office. Gangs now play a huge part in life on the streets in chi-town – at least for black folks. And shortly after Terence turned 17, a local hood named Crossbones recruited him into that life. Survive the coming collapse How the Streets Claimed My Brother I saw less and less of Terence after that. And when I saw him, he seemed changed. Once I ...