By Courtney Anderson
They take our lives every day.
Shoot us in the back.
In front of family,
friends,
and strangers.
They leave us in the streets.
And Cuff our dead bodies.
**
They lie about us.
Drag our names,
stories,
and lives
through the mud.
We deserve our deaths, they say.
We killed ourselves.
We always kill ourselves, they say.
**
Our lives are played on social media.
And so are our deaths.
**
And our killers go free.
Every.
Single.
Time.
**
And then
They ask for our
Peace.
**
Peace! Peace! Be Peaceful! Have Peace!
Be peaceful as we slaughter you!
Stand still as we shoot.
Paint our streets with your Blood.
And above all, have Peace!
**
There is no peace.
There is no peace.
There is no peace.
There will be no peace.
As long as they live,
and we die,
There will be No Peace.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.
Cover Photo Credit: Annette Bernhardt/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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Has Toxic Algae Made It To Miami?
Miami Shores residents are concerned that toxic blue-green algae that has brought ecological disaster to parts of Florida, has come to town.
According to NBC Miami, multiple residents of the quiet Miami suburb have expressed concerns that the algae has come to a canal in the area.
“In the late afternoon, there was some type of green algae that was floating on top of the water,” Miami Shores resident Michael Schock told NBC Miami. “Unlike anything I have seen before. I was concerned about the algae.”
Residents told the TV station that algae was seen floating everywhere in the canal over the weekend, but it had dissipated some by Monday.
According to NBC Miami, state officials will be coming out to the area to conduct tests on the water.
The toxic blue-green algae found in other parts of the state has been known to cause rashes and hay fever like symptoms in people that it has come in contact with, and nausea and vomiting in people who ingest it.
WATCH: NBC Miami report on algae found in Miami Shores canal
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us.
Cover Photo Credit: Brian Goodwin/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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Why Are All These People In Hong Kong Doing Crazy Things On Rooftops?
Recreational trespass, “rooftopping” or urban exploring is the exploration of any open or abandoned space.
Hong Kong has the most skyscrapers in the world.
Hence, it attracts a lot of explorers from all over the world to reach the climax in Hong Kong.
For rooftoppers worldwide, conquering buildings and breaking the rules are the main spirit of this activity, but for rooftoppers in Hong Kong, it’s much more than just a death defying stunt.
Here’s some reasons why they do it:
- To redefine their limit
For many rooftoppers, it’s the feeling of empowerment and being on top of the world that the adventure brings. By conquering their own fear, capture stunning images of uninterrupted views and turning these rooftops as their own personal playgrounds, they push themselves beyond own limit.
- To recharge from hectic city life
To rooftoppers, everyday is ordinary life — everything is so structured and you have to follow orders. Hence, they want to get away from that.
“Rooftopping is like a getaway from city life to me — Hong Kong is such a fast-paced city with so much pressure and noise,” well known Hong Kong rooftopper Daniel Lau said. “When I’m on a rooftop, everything slows down, you don’t hear anything but wind, all the rush from the ground became like slow-motion.”
- To explore the city’s landscape
Symmetry Heaven – Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal.
The world famous breathtaking skyline of the concrete jungle is a must-see for tourists.
But if you’ve lived here your whole life, you’d probably be bored of visting the same places at the exact same spots.
Rooftopping allows rooftoppers to appreciate Hong Kong from a whole new perspective and reconnect with the vibrant city which they consider as a home.
- To reclaim the urban space from big business
Photo Credit: Exthetics/ Screengrab (Youtube)
The cost of living and flat price in this dense vertical city of over seven million is among the highest in the world.
As a result, the majority of Hong Kong’s youth still live with their parents in their adulthood without adequate personal space.
Spaces hidden in the famous skyline thus becomes the only ones left to explore for free and sneaking onto rooftops has become a statement of reclaiming the city from big business.
“[The] Roof is for everyone. Pick a book, read on a crane, get some inspirations,” rooftopper William Cheng said.
5. Rooftopping for freedom and disobedience
The city’s young people are part of a generation who have grown up with the umbrella revolution, worsening economic prospects and increasing worries of eroding individual freedom.
Rooftoppers – like other youngsters- showcase their frustrations by celebrating disobedience.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.
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Kobe Is Not Great Anymore And That’s Been Brutal For Lakers Fans To Figure Out
By Ikeem Boyd
As a lifelong Los Angeles Lakers fan, Kobe Bryant’s decision to retire from the game of basketball is bittersweet.
He’s my favorite player of all time and played a huge role in raising five championship banners.
Kobe is the Lakers; the Lakers are Kobe’s team. That’s just the way that it’s always been for the entirety of my fandom and most of my life.
I’ve grown up with Kobe, and I can’t fathom an NBA season without him. Like every other Laker fan, and basketball fan for that matter, I’ll be sad that he’s gone. But at the same time, Bryant has left us all with great memories and he deserves to be celebrated for the remainder of the 2015-16 season.
The current version of Kobe Bryant is hard to watch. Seeing Bryant shoot 30 percent from the field on a nightly basis is tough.
His decision to retire is the right one. It’s not only best for Bryant as an individual, but it’s also best for the Lakers as franchise.
The Lakers can now focus on re-building the team around their young core of D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle.
Lakers fans leave the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Photo Credit:johrling/Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Greatest Ever?
There’s always been this great debate about who’s the greatest basketball player of all-time. Let me preface what I’m about to say, by stating that I was born in 1992.
When Michael Jordan was dominating the NBA and winning championships with the Chicago Bulls, I was a young kid. I didn’t follow or fully understand the game of basketball then.
Even though I didn’t witness the Jordan era, I’m aware of his greatness, what he accomplished and what he did on a global scale for the NBA and game of basketball.
With all that being said, Kobe Bryant is the closest thing to Michael Jordan; he’s the best basketball player of my generation and the best basketball player that I have ever witnessed live.
I don’t really enjoy ranking the all-time greats because each is great in their own way and they each brought something unique to the table.
Besides, I haven’t been around long enough to have seen all of them live. It’s tough to make rankings off of highlight packages, vintage games on ESPN Classic and on statistics. I do know the greats of my generation, though, and who I got to see growing up.
The great players of my generation include: Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and a few others that are escaping me at the moment. Out of that bunch, there’s only one player that you can argue has had a better career than Bryant and that is Duncan. Bryant’s resume speaks for itself.
Where does that rank Bryant amongst the all-time greats? I can’t tell you. Everyone that you talk to will give you a different list. What I can tell you is that regardless of where you believe Bryant ranks on the list of all-time greats, he’ll always be in the discussion.
Although this season is looking like it’s going be another lost one for the Lakers, I’m excited to see how Kobe goes out. It’ll also be cool to see how the NBA, its players, coaches, and fans show their appreciation for Bryant and all that he’s done.
I’m hoping that during my next visit to Los Angeles, I’ll be able to catch a Lakers game. I have to witness greatness in person…one last time.
Thank you for a wonderful 20-year journey, Kobe. Basketball won’t be the same without you.
Cover Photo Credit: Keith Allison/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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