_____ while Black.
"GROWING UP"
Michael Singletary
Meet Mikey, a 21-year-old Black man from southeastern San Diego. Mikey poses with his brother James. When asked about Black injustices in San Diego, Mikey recalls seeing the Police Department's special gang unit micromanage his environment at a young age. He believes the answer to having a better quality of life for Black San Diegans is education.
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In his opinion, excessive policing of Black locals in San Diego has led to over-incarceration, PTSD and division in the Black community. Money is the other important resource he believes the Black community is missing.
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Mikey understands that money is power and knows the lack of money allocated to Black locals isn't a coincidence. Gentrification prompts Mikey to speak about what he's witnessing, including the White man's paradigm.
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(L to R: Michael Singletary; James Scott )
James
Scott
Meet James, a 22-year-old Black man from southeastern San Diego. James poses with his younger brother Mikey. When asked about Black injustices in San Diego, James also emphasizes the importance of the school system.
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James said he feels safe in San Diego but acknowledges that he is far more exposed to danger anytime he leaves home. "I feel the safest at home than I do anywhere else. The most times I've been pulled over in a week is probably like ten times — like ten times in a week. Yeah, the gangs were prevalent growing up, but it's like ... safety from my peers and older people in the neighborhood vs. messing with the police or somebody calling the police on you. I'm just safer at home."
When asked if the city of San Diego values black people, this is how he responded.
shot on Kodak100 film in 35mm