Childhood

• 
  No crib

  Mother: Tangela F

  They tell us how they're only supposed to sleep in cribs. I’ve asked for help from welfare, from the WIC office. They give you these little papers to help you find cribs. Nobody has helped me find a crib yet.  If she gets up and starts rocking that playpen and falls over when I’m asleep and she gets hurt, then what? So I just put her in the bed with me.

• 
  Pantry

  Mother: Sherry R
• 
  Window into Backyard

  Mother: Sherry R
• 
  Formula

  Mother: Sherry R
• 
  Peering over Crib

  Mother: Pauline S
• 
  Holding On

  Mother: Victoria D
• 
  Costume

  Mother: Victoria D
• 
  Balloon Hat

  Mother: Victoria D
• 
  Bathing Suit

  Mother: Victoria D
• 
  Pink Pacifier

  Mother: Angela M
• 
  Prostitution

  Mother: Angela M

  We're taking my son to football practice and I want you to see when he gets to the park that there is prostitution going on.  Here is a prostitute in the park where he practice at. 

• 
  Selling Alcohol

  Mother: Angela M

  On our way to football practice, there is a truck in the park that sells water, ice, and pretzels for the kids.  And they also sell beer.  I want you to see that when my son gets to the park that there is prostitution going on and they are also selling alcohol.

• 
  'Take care of me, Mommy'

  Mother: Angela M
• 
  A house on my block

  Mother: Angela M

  An idea of where I am living.  They sit out there and smoke crack late at night, because the guy that sells crack is a few houses down.  So they might grab the crack and sit right there.

• 
  Mini Market

  Mother: Angela M

  That is the store that buys food stamps.  They swipe it and put it into their machine and give six dollars for ten dollars.  If you stop these people from selling food stamps, it'll stop hunger, because most of these young boys won't have to out and sell drugs to get a sandwitch.  That is what they think they have to do.  I don't think they have enough sense or their parents don't make them go to school to get an education or get a job, so that is what they think they have to do because mom done sold all the food stanps and the house is cold.

• 
  A young man

  Mother: Angela M

  I make him wear a tie and shoes to school, just to teach him how to be a young man.  A lot of times I don't make him wear it because the other kids don't, but at least once a week I make him wear his tie and his pants and his shoes.  I make him go to school like a gentleman.

• 
  Memorial

  Mother: Angela M

  My neighbor’s son:
  The drugs are the root of all of it.  My neighbor’s son was killed there, and this neighbor still gets high, too.  Her son got killed for drugs right down the street from my house, and they’re still selling crack.  It’s sick.  When she gets all zapped out of her mind, she goes down there and lights a candle, around one, two o’clock in the morning.

• 
  Car Seat

  Mother: Mona H
• 
  Reaching Out

  Mother: Mona H
• 
  Play Mobile

  Mother: Mona H