Author Archives: iampaulwillis

About iampaulwillis

I AM FROM JP, 17 Gay Head St. Just off of Centre, bodegas of a different beat/ bachata and merengue blasted through el barrio, project kids would fight, no one felt sorry though/ my grandmother nursed at Beth Israel but you can't nurse the misery that comes with no father and a mother who never cared to visit me/ wishful thinkin under Christmas trees of the bright lights and infamy that came with the fame of the rap game/ so my sisters voices rang through the house as they sang Mary J, En Vogue and Boys II Men/ I AM FROM second generation im...migrant friends who shared meals of fried chicken, curry goat, and rice and peas/ Dollartrees, Payless and "no parks," "please?!" Education was the mission/ I AM FROM a house of proper grammer, manners and no accent/ Back when Lamb Chops Playalong gave me my favorite song to annoy my brothers and sisters/ Before the Nintendo and sports I was too short and with a broken leg, I once prayed to be tall/ I AM FROM a place where madd with 2 D's and on dawgs were commonplace/ Swearing didn't exist/ A smush was in your face/ No worries, no race/ All faith/ Going to the United Parish was a weekly habit/ But now, I AM FROM ghosts and memories/ La cultura de mi barrio is instilled in me/ My family and friends are long gone from the place I called home/ Spent last year in fear that I couldn't reclaim it alone/ But that was a false choice because as I found my voice, I could carry my home in my soul and just make noise.

Growth

Posted on March 22, 2015 by iampaulwillis

My last post was on August 13, 2013. A lot has happened since then. I got a full time job as a program manager at City Year Sacramento, making the most money I have ever made in my life. That’s … Continue reading →

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Resilience

Posted on August 19, 2013 by iampaulwillis

Time flies. I can’t believe that it has been 8 months since I’ve last blogged. A lot has happened and it’s tough to even know where to begin. However, like my last post, there is a common thread to the … Continue reading →

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Catch and Release

Posted on December 10, 2012 by iampaulwillis

I haven’t blogged in a while. Sorry I’m not sorry. I’ve been busy. I could share my excuses, but basically it comes down to getting the job I’ve always wanted. Yes, I’m a program manager for City Year Sacramento. WOOOHOOO!!!! … Continue reading →

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The Raw, The Real

Posted on November 30, 2012 by iampaulwillis

I haven’t blogged in a while, but here’s something raw that I wrote my senior year of high school. This was a draft but damn man, it brought me back real quick. How life has changed… Paul Willis English Editorial … Continue reading →

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The Vent

Posted on April 1, 2012 by iampaulwillis

I commented to a friend earlier today that this week was one of the hardest weeks for me, so I wanted to take some time to reflect on why. I’m going to start at the beginning. Work for me has … Continue reading →

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Fitting In by Standing Out (something i wrote for the CY Sacramento blog)

Posted on March 31, 2012 by iampaulwillis

During the team introduction at Oak Ridge Elementary, I meet with Ms. Buerger, and she tells me that her 5th grade class is full of personality. We share a knowing laugh and I know right then and there I would … Continue reading →

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They say a picture is worth a thousand words… well here’s my version of Sacramento before Christmas

Posted on March 31, 2012 by iampaulwillis

arriving at the hotel #MariottLife First Day @ Work Team Photo at NVIDIA service day in San Jose 1100 volunteers serving with City Year San Jose, plus us Painting murals Busting rocks Building raised garden beds and building community yes, … Continue reading →

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Words with Friends pt 3

Posted on March 30, 2012 by iampaulwillis

I told myself that I wasn’t going to start writing this late but I don’t know the meaning of a work-life balance so here goes. I’ve got some great stories to share with you, but they’ll have to wait for … Continue reading →

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Words with Friends (part 2)

Posted on March 22, 2012 by iampaulwillis

I want to revisit the topic that I was writing about in my last post. I was writing about my personal growth and how my relationships with my friends grew over time. I stopped after I finished writing about middle … Continue reading →

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Words with Friends

Posted on March 20, 2012 by iampaulwillis

I’ve been in a reflective mood for the past couple of days. I think this mood has started because I’ve been putting my ideas together for this blog. Either way, I’m going to write it all down because well, that’s … Continue reading →

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