Thoughts of a man who found his calling in writing, despite the poverty and struggle he faced and still facing today.
From a young age, Danny knew what it meant to struggle. He was raised in one of the a roughest city in America where violence and poverty were an everyday reality. His parents did their best to provide for their family, but there never seemed to be enough. Growing up as a teenager, Danny witnessed things no young boy should have to see, from drive-by shootings to drug deals gone wrong.
Despite all the chaos around him, Danny found peace in writing. He started journaling at a young age, documenting everything he saw and felt. As he got older, his writing became more exciting, and he found himself writing short stories and essays about life in his city.
After graduating high school, Danny worked a series of odd jobs to help support his family. He spent time as a dishwasher, a landscaper, a janitor at a local hospital and he also has a trade as a technician. Despite the long hours and back-breaking work, he always made time to write. It was his passion, and he knew that someday he would make a name for himself.
Danny's writing wasn't always pretty. He wrote about the struggles he and his family and friends faced, from getting caught up in the streets to trying to make ends meet. He wrote about the people he loved who were killed by senseless violence and the broken systems that failed to protect them. He wrote about the dreams he had for himself and for his family and friends and the community he was raised in, and the obstacles he still faces trying to make those dreams a reality.
As Danny approached his birthday, he looked back on all he had seen and now experiencing. He realized that nobody in his community knew he was writing about the city and everyday life he looked at it like somebody has to write about this city who from this city or have an outsider write about my city, then the real stories might otherwise go untold. He wasn’t looking for his writing to brought him recognition by making the top 80 short stories and websites in 2023, but more importantly, it made him humble and wanted to write more and not letting anyone stop him.
Danny also said if he ever make with his writing that he knew that he would never forget where he came from. Poverty and violence had shaped him, but they had also given him a powerful tool. Through his writing, he had been able to shed light on the one sided system and the struggles of those who are just like him. And as he continued to write, he knew that one day his words would help inspire change, and create a better future for all.