United States: Regional Stories

Let us live in harmony. Imam Taha

All People's Breakfast participants

San Diego is a very nice place because it hardly even rains. My favorite part of San Diego is the museums and zoo. The thing I don’t like is the parks because the bathrooms are disgusting. My favorite part of San Diego is downtown because it is always busy and has a lot of places to see. by Ladae

How my family got to San Diego I am a fourth generation San Diegan. My great grandma and grandpa were all were born and raised in California. We always lived here in San Diego. My grandma lived in Hunington Beach for seven years. My grandma, mom, and me were all raised in San Diego. On my dad's side, my grandpa came here in 1970 from Michigan. He was in the navy. My grandma came here in 1970 from Idaho. My grandpa was stationed here by the navy. My grandma drove here and my grandpa came here by ship. They brought their personal stuff. The navy told my grandpa to move here. My grandma came here to find a job that pays good money plus the weather is better here. My grandpa came from Alpena, Michigan. My grandma came from Boise, Idaho but she was born in Japan. They both came straight to San Diego. Kai

Alabama Regina My mom was born in Alabama. She came over to San Diego for high school. And that high school she went to she had meet my daddy. My mom has: brown skin, long dark brown hair, her eyes are brown, and her lips are kind of pink. When she came to San Diego, she was so excited and happy. She thought it was so beautiful. My mom said it smelled so sweet, like freshly picked roses. The sun warmed up her skin, so she was shiny and glossy. And the beach water was so clear, beautiful, and bright it blinded her.My mom had never seen such a beautiful view. She had only seen it on tv, now it was for real. She thought she was dreaming until her friend pinched her. My mom cared for others, helped others, and always respected other people’s feelings (she still does). The college my mom went to was, San Diego City College. And she saw UCSD, that college still stands. My mom said it was always beautiful in San Diego. The Flowers always smelled great and the beach was just so fantastic. There was no graffiti anywhere. The main places people hung out at were: the malls, house parties, the beaches, the movies, and the bowling alleys. Slavery didn’t exist in San Diego. My mom made a lot of friends in college, but they don’t really talk that much any more. Preona, Gr. 8

Texas My great grandma lived in Texas then moved to California. She was a parent when she moved to California about 3 years ago. She is a parent and she is married. Her name is Sandy, and she is living with her husband and son. When she was in Texas, it was a long drive to see her, but now it is shorter.

When my great grandma lived in Texas we would visit her and my great grandpa. She moved to California in 2004 in about June. My great grandma and great grandpa lived with my grandma for about one year before she found a house. Sadie4

California My grandmother, grandfather, and my mom came to California in 2000. I didn’t know my grandma until 2005. Then in 2007 we first visited my grandma in California. Did you know I never knew my grandparents? My real grandfather worked the newspaper. Then he got fired and went to California. Then he found a job at the railroad. Then he died on the railroad tracks. Is4

New Mexico My grandpa moved to San Diego, California in 1942. He got here by a lot of buses. My grandpa came here because he joined the US Navy. He went to the navy camp train for two to three years. When he was done he went to fight the Japanese ships, but his sank because of a torpedo. After that my grandpa returned to San Diego, California by bus. He loved the weather here compared to New Mexico. My grandpa likes exploring lots of places. NS 4

California My parents met in California. They met and got married in San Diego. My dad got a job in the navy in 1009. He went in a airplane and a bag of clothes. My dad came from grandparent. My mom came from Sturgis. They took a station wagon and took everything. My grandpa got a job as a priest in la Jolla. That is how my family got to California.The journey to California was so long. My mom got a station wagon and they brought everything. My dad came by airplane and he brought a bag of clothes. They met and got married in San Diego. Then we were a family! TJ 4

Montana Grandpa Bill grew up in Montana near the Canadian border. Montana was very flat country. They raised a lot of wheat and cattle . Bill's parents spoke English. They celebrated 4th of July, Christmas, and Easter. J, Gr. 4

Alaska My grandma Gloria came to california in a car with his son and brother. The only thing they brought was the clothes on their backs. They arrived in 1940. When he arrived in 1940 he was about 20 years old. He got a job selling leather to stores. When Grandma Gloria came she was a very poor. He used to live in a small village that was poor. He used to live in Petersburg, Alaska. Today he is 80 years old. He still lives in California SG 4

My place by JF

My place is the church. The church is Calvary Baptist Church, and our motto is “The Friendliest Church In San Diego.” I believe that is true because since I have been at Calvary Baptist which I have for almost a year in two week the people adapted me as family. Not only that but it is a community friendly church. It is located in a Chicano neighborhood all kinds of races have visited or has been members of the church. When I came I was immediately adopted and was shown love by the pastor. I told him I came on my Christian experience and I was assigned to a big sister named Sheila Wilks. She guides me and helps me if I need a prayer partner, studying, or just need someone to talk to. “YOUR BLESSING CAN BE YOUR CURSE” which means some shiesty things have went down in that beautiful church that shouldn’t have but I still love and respect most of the people there. Shortly after I arrived so did a family called the Keith’s. They became my family. Serena a.k.a. Moms, Dominique a.k.a. big sis, Alex a.k.a. lil’ sis, and mizz Nina a.k.a. the baby. We shared together the down south flavor and I came to Alex because I liked her hair cut and we started talking now were on talking or hanging out every weekend with a strong bond that I don’t have with my blood family. All these wonderful things happened in my church that brought me to feel a little more secure around church people. I was in need of a church because the last one at wasn’t right for me. I couldn’t get a good message from the word because Sunday class would only be an hour and when I got to the teen girl class they didn’t know how to act, and preaching would only be 15 minutes. One day my mom told me that she was going to get presents last year and I went there with them and the word inside that they gave us reached me deeply, and so did the singing. So the week after Christmas I joined. Now I am sacrificing and coming to church Sunday’s from 10:00am-2:00pm, Wednesday evenings at 5:30 to sing for the teen choir that I sing second Sunday’s with the teen class who I consider as my teen family. And I also have bible study after choir rehearsal. And Thursday nights at 7:00 to rehearsal with the choir that I sing with every Sunday. I have really developed a great relationship with the church, a church that is my favorite place on earth to be and I am grateful to have found it. “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply ourselves unto wisdom” –Psalms 90:12

Georgia I haven’t always lived in California. The first person who started to move was my grand uncle. The people who moved with my great uncle were my mom, great mother, uncle, and my grandmother. Wee took the greyhound bus. They brought clothing and foot with them. We moved from Macon, Georgia to San Diego California.

My great uncle had his reasons for coming to California. My great uncle joined the navy. Plus my grand uncle wanted as to move here because it’s a better place to live. Like my grand uncle I was born in Texas. I moved from Texas to San Diego California. DT 4

Alex, Gr. 10

Texas She’s my beautiful grandma. She was born July 22, 1946, and raised in Beaumont, Texas. It has beautiful sights, but mean people.

It was very quiet. She was the eldest in the family. She had two little brothers and three little sisters. She used to have to do all the work around the house, but she didn’t mind. She was bothered with her life, but because she wanted to do other things besides staying around the house. Everyone picked on her, but she didn’t care what others thought.

Her ethnicity is Creole, Black, Indian, & Cherokee. But unlike Indians, she didn’t have long hair, so, of course, she was singled out. Do you think that stopped her? No, it didn’t. She was taught how to be independent, smart, trustworthy, and respectful. She smiled at everyone even if she didn’t like them and they didn’t like her. She was so respectful that every grown-up adored her.

She had dreams, beautiful ones. Her hobbies were drawing, designing clothes, and dancing. As a teenager, she attracted many people when she taught the sports teams at her high school how to dance. Here favorite dances were the Dragon Bump and the Swing Out. That was one of her hobbies. She wanted to finish school and get a good job so she could provide for her family. By Angelika, Gr. 8