{"product_id":"when-we-make-it-isbn-9780593324486","title":"When We Make It","description":"\u003cb\u003e\"The energy. The clarity. The beauty. Elisabet Velasquez brings it all. . . . Her voice is FIRE!\"—\u003ci\u003eNYT\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling and award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eAn unforgettable, torrential, and hopeful debut young adult novel-in-verse that redefines what it means to \"make it,” for readers of Nicholasa Mohr and Elizabeth Acevedo.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSarai is a first-generation Puerto Rican question asker who can see with clarity the truth, pain, and beauty of the world both inside and outside her Bushwick apartment. Together with her older sister, Estrella, she navigates the strain of family traumas and the systemic pressures of toxic masculinity and housing insecurity in a rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn. Sarai questions the society around her, her Boricua identity, and the life she lives with determination and an open heart, learning to celebrate herself in a way that she has long been denied.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhen We Make It\u003c\/i\u003e is a love letter to anyone who was taught to believe that they would not make it. To those who \u003ci\u003efeel \u003c\/i\u003etheir emotions before they can name them. To those who still may not have all the language but they have their story. Velasquez’ debut novel is sure to leave an indelible mark on all who read it.\u003cb\u003eYALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eIndies Introduce and Next List selection\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Kirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e Best Books\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e Best Books\u003cbr\u003e Chicago Public Library Best Teen Fiction\u003cbr\u003eAméricas Award Commended Title\u003cbr\u003eALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eIn the Margins Book Award Top Ten selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eNCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe News \u0026amp; Observer\u003c\/i\u003e Best Books for Kids\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eGotham Book Prize finalist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e *“A gem for pleasure reading as well as classroom use. . . . Raw, breathtaking, and brilliant.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e *“Exquisite poetry portrays not only anger and fear, but also hope . . . Gripping and soulful, this dynamic debut novel-in-verse is a must for every collection.”—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal,\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e *“The candid, clear-eyed poetry contains powerful inquiries about [Sarai’s] diasporic Nuyorican identity and canny observations about the endemic social and racial inequities that surround her. . . . Together, these vignettes capture Sarai’s multilayered, heartbreaking, and hopeful coming of age.”—\u003ci\u003eHorn Book,\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “A beautiful story whose deep messages will have lasting effects.”—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"With verses that are unapologetically fierce and honest, Elisabet Velasquez captures the Brooklyn city streets with a Nuyorican vibe that can’t be duplicated. \u003ci\u003eWhen We Make it\u003c\/i\u003e is the perfect coming-of-age tale with rhythmic poetry that is certain to cement Velazquez as an exciting new young adult voice to celebrate.\"—\u003cb\u003eLilliam Rivera\u003c\/b\u003e, Pura Belpré Honor-Winning Author of \u003ci\u003eNever Look Back\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"The energy. The clarity. The beauty. Elisabet Velasquez brings it all. And takes me home — to Bushwick in the most resonate and evocative of ways. The writing is clear-eyed, moving and funny. Her voice is FIRE!\"—\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling and award-winning author \u003cb\u003eJacqueline Woodson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “This is the kind of book that makes you feel seen, the kind you read around the kitchen table to your sisters and friends. It will make you laugh and cry and remind you that you aren’t alone. Elisabet’s book will touch so many people’s lives. It has already touched mine.”—\u003cb\u003eAngie Cruz\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eDominicana\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Velasquez renders the heart in conflict with itself, the swag and bilingual sonic charge of Bushwick, an uncompromising love, and the reality of being a young Puerto Rican woman, using poetry to make sense of conflict and chaos in her relentless search for truth. \u003ci\u003eWhen We Make It\u003c\/i\u003e is an unforgettable debut.”—\u003cb\u003eWillie Perdomo\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Crazy Bunch\u003c\/i\u003eElisabet Velasquez is a Boricua writer born in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Her work is featured in \u003ci\u003eMuzzle Magazine, Winter Tangerine, Centro Voces, Latina Magazine, Longreads, We Are Mitú, Tidal,\u003c\/i\u003e and Martín Espada’s anthology \u003ci\u003eWhat Saves Us: Poems of Empathy and Outrage in the Age of Trump. When We Make It\u003c\/i\u003e is her debut novel. Elisabet lives in Jersey City, New Jersey.\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow I Got My Name\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSarai\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLet’s start the story where abandon meets faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAight, so, boom. Check it. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI’m named after a homegirl \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ein the Bible who couldn’t have kids. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHer man Abram was all like: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eYo, Sarai, God promised me I would be the Father of Nations.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSarai was all like: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eNah B, you must be buggin’, you know I can’t have no babies.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur pastor says faith is believing in something \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eyou can’t really see. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to Mami, \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewe should never put our faith in men. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMami was pregnant with me when Papi bounced\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003efor some new chick \u0026amp; told Mami to have an abortion. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbram got himself a new chick, too. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGot her pregnant and all that. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI guess Mami identified with Sarai’s fear and doubt—\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; so I was born out of Mami’s faith \u0026amp; hope. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMami\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMami is a round woman. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA square by any other definition. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo-nonsense, Pentecostal \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewith no patience for her own children most days. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are three of us in total. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDanny, Estrella \u0026amp; Me. I am the youngest. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMy sister Estrella said Mami’s depressed.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFile this under “shit we don’t talk about.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePentecostals, we’re just supposed to pray\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe sadness away. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e¡Fuera!\u003c\/i\u003e The pastor demands on prayer night. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e¡Fuera!\u003c\/i\u003e I imagine sadness is a bad singer \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ebeing kicked off the show \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eby el Chacal on Sábado Gigante. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eApparently, Jesus \u0026amp; Don Francisco\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ecan save anything.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOnce during church testimonio,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMami gave Jesus mad credit \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003efor saving her from Papi’s fists. \u003ci\u003e¡Amén! ¡Aleluya!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNow, Papi lives in the Bronx with his new wife. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstrella uses the payphone\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto collect call him all the time. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe says Papi is also Christian now\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; that God forgave him \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003efor beating on Mami \u0026amp; so we should too. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut Mami’s eyes never close right during prayer service \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; I wonder what kind of God you have to be \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto receive praise from the hands responsible for that. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow We Got Our Names\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEstrella \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstrella was named after another woman \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePapi was cheating on Mami with. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNobody says that out loud though. But I can tell \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eby the way my sister’s name jumps off of Mami’s tongue \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003elike one of those side chicks \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eon \u003ci\u003eThe Ricki Lake Show\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn my father’s tongue, Estrella matters. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHer name is a sloooow dance in Brooklyn. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHer name is a bullet that didn’t kill nobody. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHer name is the beeper alert that gets a call back. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstrella is three years older than me. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe is sixteen but her body is not. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe got that \u003ci\u003eit’s not my fault,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eI thought you were older\u003c\/i\u003e kind of body.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe is the kind of beautiful\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethat dique puts men in danger \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eor that makes men want to be dangerous.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe kind of beautiful Mami always wanted to be. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen we walk down Knickerbocker Ave., \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe men hiss like they are deflating at the sight of us. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey call Mami suegra. Mami can’t stand it. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eQué ridículo\u003c\/i\u003e, she says.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe ain’t old enough to be nobody’s mother-in-law. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe shifts her body in front of Estrella’s, to protect her \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eor maybe so she can be seen first. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePapi\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstrella races to the window \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand pulls back the curtain,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewhich is really just a fuzzy blanket\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewith a lion print that Mami ordered from Fingerhut,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ea magazine that lets Mami own nice things \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand pay for them slowly. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePapi parks outside and makes his station wagon cry \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003euntil it guilts Mami into letting us go downstairs. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI examine my father until he is human again. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen he hugs me, I want no parts of his hands.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI become Mami the last time he hit her.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eLeave me alone. Don’t touch me.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstrella laughs at my fear \u0026amp; tells Papi \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMami is brainwashing me into hating him. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePapi says he hopes\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI’m not becoming an angry bitch like Mami. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eMen don’t like angry bitches.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eMen leave angry bitches.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll Mami was ever good for was kicking him out.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe can’t remember the last time\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eher mouth made a home for him. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat’s why he left\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand didn’t come around for a few years. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNow Papi comes by every weekend\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; gives us five dollars to split.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstrella \u0026amp; me argue over how to spend it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFive dollars \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ecan buy us mad chips,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003equarter juices,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNow and Laters, Devil Dogs. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOr we can use it to share one ham \u0026amp; cheese hero \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand a two-liter.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen I look up at the window\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eyou can’t see Mami peeking but  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe lion’s mouth is open \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand roaring for me to come upstairs. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLucky\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Bushwick, the reporters double park \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto shoot the latest crime scene \u0026amp; then bounce \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003equick before their news vans get tagged up. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe teachers find their car radios missing \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand blame the worst student they have. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePero, the teachers and the reporters, they get to leave. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBack to their “good” neighborhoods \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewith boring-ass walls and vehicles\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethey don’t have to piece back together like a puzzle. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey’ll have a nice dinner with their predictable family \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand talk about their wack-ass day in Bushwick\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; somebody will say: \u003ci\u003eYou’re lucky you don’t live there\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSomeone else will echo:\u003ci\u003e Imagine?!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; they think they can imagine because fear\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003egot them believing they know what it means to be safe.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI mean, it’s one thing to feel danger.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; maybe it’s another thing\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto work in it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; maybe it’s another thing altogether \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto live with it. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut it’s something else completely \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto be the thing everyone is afraid of. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe Ain’t Afraid\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEstrella says:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eWe ain’t afraid of nothing.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eWe ain’t afraid of nothing.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eWe ain’t afraid of nothing.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI say: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSome days though, \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eshit is scary. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot gonna front\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003elike shit ain’t scary. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEstrella says:\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eDamn, yo, what’s so scary? \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThat’s just Corner Boy Jesus and his friends.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI say:\u003cb\u003e  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShit. That’s 5-0. Ayo! \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey’re creeping around the corner. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI tell Estrella \u0026amp; the corner boys to run. Run! \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEstrella \u0026amp; the corner boys say:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eRun? We ain’t running.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eSnitch? We ain’t snitching.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEstrella says:\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eYo, chill, we’ll be aight.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eYo, chill, we’ll be okay.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u0026amp; even when we not\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ewe are. You know what I mean?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; I know exactly what she means\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e’cause it’s just like being afraid.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEven when we not we are. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEven when we not we are. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e               But I don’t say that. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e                Nah. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI don’t say that. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNeighbors\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBushwick is full of hip-hop \u0026amp; salsa. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCuchifritos \u0026amp; soul food. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNail \u0026amp; hair salons. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBootleg CD vendors \u0026amp; tamale ladies on the corner.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe are all the same in our difference. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo matter how we got to be neighbors here \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe all know we lived somewhere else first. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI know this because on the occasion that \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur eyes lock for more than a moment \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur mouths ask each other the same question. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere you from? Like nice to meet you. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere you from? Like what block? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere you from? Like what country? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere you from? Like what God? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere you from? Like where you been? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere you from? Like where you going?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere you from? Like who you missing? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere you from? Like why you here? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere you from? Like have you gone back? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere you from? Like what did you leave behind? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCuriosity Killed the Cat\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSatisfaction Brought It Back\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMami says ¡que soy \u003ci\u003eentrometida!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; she’s right,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI’m always asking\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eabout things I shouldn’t be. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstrella thinks I ask a lot of questions ’cause I’m dumb. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eBeing a dumbass has its rewards though. \u003c\/i\u003eShe laughs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe means that in Bushwick,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethere are some things you just don’t wanna know.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat way you sound believable if the cops ever ask you \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003esomething where the answer could get you locked up or killed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut I know asking questions\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eis sometimes the smartest thing I could do. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt gives me permission to not know everything. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBesides, answers are just questions\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethat haven’t been discovered yet.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eI Ask Questions About Puerto Rico\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen I ask Mami to tell me about Puerto Rico \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eshe says it’s none of my business\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand that I should focus on school. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eHow is where I am from none of my business\u003c\/i\u003e?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI decide to talk back today. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eYou are not from Puerto Rico.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eYou are Nuyorican,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMami says. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA Puerto Rican born in New York. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eDoes that make me less Puerto Rican\u003c\/i\u003e? I wanna know. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eSí. No. ¡Qué sé yo!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMami is annoyed \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; tells me to stop asking questions \u0026amp; pack my clothes. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe are moving. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgain. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLeaving Gates Avenue\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMami never has money for the bus or cabs \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eso we walk our belongings to the new spot \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eon Knickerbocker Avenue. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe gotta stop at the Check Cashing \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto get a money order for the week’s rent. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI’ma miss writing Gates Avenue on the money order. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt always felt super appropriate considering that \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eeverything in Bushwick looks like it could hurt you\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eif you crossed it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll the buildings are built like weapons.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEven our schools are gated \u0026amp; \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe welfare office is spiked\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eas if to let you know\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethat you are entering a war zone. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe order Chinese food through glass\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethat might stop a bullet\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ebut can’t stop a kid with a blade\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand a dope tag.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWindows are secured with metal bars \u0026amp; \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eroofs are fenced in with barbed wire. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this way even the sun becomes a criminal\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eif it sneaks into an armored building. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the Check Cashing spot the pen is chained\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto the counter \u0026amp; today I stole it\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ejust to say I set something free.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow We Got Our Names\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHookerbocker Ave\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eis what everybody calls Knickerbocker Avenue. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; since names have a way of making things true \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMami has a warning for Estrella \u0026amp; me\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eas we leave the new room \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewe’re staying in to go buy pizza for dinner. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe tells us to come straight home\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; not to stand on the ave. for too long.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003ci\u003eSi te coge la jara no hay dinero pá sacarte.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhich is to say you can’t even trust the cops\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto tell the difference. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhich is to say Puerto Rican girls\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ealways look like they’re for sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; for a brief second I wonder what I’m worth. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat it would cost to keep me for a night. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat it would cost to set me free. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eToday in Bible Study\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrinity\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe learn: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGod the father. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e              God the son. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e                     God the Holy Spirit. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAre all the same. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAre all different. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI’m not even gonna front like I get how that shit works. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut if I had to share my identities with two other people \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI’ma pick the underdog. The one who flies mad under the radar but does some powerful ass shit.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat’s the Holy Spirit in this case.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI mean, sure, Jesus turned water into wine\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand did the whole \u003ci\u003eI’m dead. . .SIKE! I’m not dead\u003c\/i\u003e bit \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ebut have you ever seen the way the Holy Spirit \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003epossesses a body and makes it dance across the room\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewithout hitting any of the furniture? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat’s talent. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI guess what I’m saying is that I think I’m talented \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eenough to make it out of here \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewhile avoiding everything \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethat tries to get in my way.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSarai’s Got Talent\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eActually, I don’t really know if talent is the way\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eout of the hood. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are mad talented people in Bushwick\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewho are still here.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike the ladies who make the toilet paper doll covers \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003emade of yarn \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; the hood musicians who record \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethen hustle their mixtape on CDs on the ave. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; the street chefs who make the most bangin’ empanadas \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand tamales that you’ll never find\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ein any restaurant \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; the acrobats who swing their bodies \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eon an L train pole in the name of showtime. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; the writers who tag up the walls with their names \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eso colorfully that you couldn’t ignore them\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eif you wanted to. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMami says my talent is being nosy. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI say my talent is paying attention. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRoster\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI know the moment right before\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe homeroom teacher\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eis about to call my name off the roster.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA brief silence stings the air\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewhile all the kids with heavy names\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003esink their bodies into the chair. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMy best friend’s name is Lauricia,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewhich people always wrongly pronounce\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLarissa or Laurish-a. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo she just tells people to call her Lala\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto avoid the exhaustion that comes\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewith correcting people. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLala \u0026amp; I can tell who has a “good” name\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eby the way they chew their Bubble Yum\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003emindlessly or scratch the date on the wooden table. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur mouths do not get the luxury of rest. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur mouths must always be war-ready,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewhich means, sometimes we rip our names\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003efrom the teacher’s mouth\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ebefore she has a chance to kill it,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ebut other times we wait.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter all,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe teacher is human, like us,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ebut more real.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMaybe we wait to see if this time, she will get it right \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eor maybe we are waiting to see if our name \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ecan be held in a mouth that is not our mother’s. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Cool Puerto Rican English Teacher\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMs. Rivera looks \u0026amp; talks wild familiar. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike she could be my cousin or something.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow funny it would be if \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMs. Rivera was really just a cousin I didn’t know. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMs. Rivera could even be me. Yo. Maybe she \u003ci\u003eis\u003c\/i\u003e me.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe me that finishes school \u0026amp; gets a college degree. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe me that learns how to talk proper and shit. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe me that owns a car and lives in a good neighborhood.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe me that makes mad money, or at least enough \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto make sure we always got food in the fridge. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe me Mami couldn’t be. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe me Estrella doesn’t want to be.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe me that makes it \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003efor everybody that couldn’t.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow We Got Our Names\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMami’s Job\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen Ms. Rivera asks me what Mami does for a living \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI don’t know how to make her sound important \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eenough to mention. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou know the kids who have parents with good jobs \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eby the way their hands shoot up\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand shake until they’re chosen. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eLet’s hear from someone\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ewe haven’t heard from yet.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMs. Rivera scans the room for those of us hiding\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eour hands, our eyes, our lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMami sews people’s clothes, I say. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eA seamstress\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMs. Rivera gives Mami’s job a name \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethat sounds valuable. Names can do that, you know. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI shrug. All I know is that she works\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ein a factory making clothes \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026amp; she’ll never know the people who wear them \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand they’ll never know the lady who made them.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dial Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302339694821,"sku":"NP9780593324486","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593324486.jpg?v=1767744002","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/when-we-make-it-isbn-9780593324486","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}