Perception'z Reflectionz

By Tenal Alston

Perception'z Reflectionz is a Community-Based poetry/prose collection derived from the creativity of Author Tenal Alston (Metamorphosis. Copyright 2016. Archway Publishing).
This book was created to demonstrate the differing perspectives of citizens in Ms. Alston's hometown of Durham, NC (Bull City) as it relates to their respective zip codes.
As it has been stated, "...We are all looking at the same incidents, we just view them differently based on where we are in the city."

From representatives ranging from middle-school aged youth to adult community activists, Perception'z Reflectionz, allows those lesser-heard opinions/concerns to be expressed, freely and without prejudice.

#AuthorTenalAlston #HoOdEleCtuaL

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tenal Alston
• Release date: Nov 14, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463795767

Tenal Alston

Author Tenal Alston hails from/resides in Durham, North Carolina. She is the author of three poetry collections: Metamorphosis: The Picture behind Mine Eyez (Copyright 2016); Perception'z Reflectionz (copyright 2019); and Feelinz 'Pon da Ant Hill (Copyright 2019). She has been actively writing since 2013, combining her love for written word and photography to create poetry with a story to relay. She is also a recording Spoken Word artist. To hear the collaborative poem "Mono2Poly Floze" in it's entirety, copy & paste the link below: https://www.reverbnation.com/seanp1073gmailcom/song/30033029-mono2poly-floze-many-too-one-two?fbclid=IwAR175Y_zR-MBc8H8lYa1k1Z3ygtTKFkjcEwoO8bkIp9a4jAZ0xcGX8pcF2g To view more examples of Ms. Alston's works, visit/like the following pages on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepYoZip/ https://www.facebook.com/choclatestonez/

Book preview

Perception’z Reflectionz

Tenal Alston

© 2018 Tenal Alston

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

Perception’z Reflectionz is dedicated to Take Back Durham and its members during my tenure:

Angelica Greene (Founder/Treasurer)

Daryl Quick (President)

Eric Taylor (Vice President)

Felicia Stroud (Secretary)

Chris Greene (Moderator)

Jetta Stroud

Kimberly Joyner

Michelle Knight

Monica Williams (Biggs)

Shelly Wilkins (Rest In Peace)

Mama Gloria Washington

Tammy Washington

Mama Stroud

Teneea Kincy

Niquisha Stroud

Sharon Long

Constance Wright

Lajaynese Drewery

Gilbert McSwain (Rest In Peace)

Darrell Parker

Karissa Hargrave

Nakia Lloyd

…and any persons who support the overall goal through:

Awareness

Prevention

Education

Thank You!

Special Note About The Book’s Cover

January 3, 2017

Durham, North Carolina…The Bull City

City of Mine

City That Could Have Been Your Own

2016 brought about the worst murder rate the City of Durham had seen in at least 36 years, and with the help of many activism groups and the county’s initiative, Bull City United, the determination to prevent the death tolls, number of shootings, blatant disregard for fellow man, and heartaches from reaching similar numbers in 2017 were activated with full force.

Bull City United, under the guidance of Michelle Young, was to lead a week of peaceful prayer vigils throughout the City of Medicine. Each day of the week, there was a minimum of one (1) gathering.

And, it was during this time that I was a member of a newly-formed activism group, Take Back Durham, and group members showed up to support. After all, we wanted the same for Durham: peace in our streets.

I’d attended the vigil slated for the Oxford Manor (Bragtown) Housing Community. This is also the community in which I was born and raised.

After receiving a commemorative T-shirt, I immediately spotted the objects that would become symbolic (to me) of our reasons for congregating that evening: an open-bed hearse with a (presumably) empty casket atop.

One of my interpretations of this gesture:

"Oh, I