Both Sides of the Street: Choices & Consequences

By Marcus Whitley

Writer and ex-convict Marcus Whitley is a youth advocate who works to help adolescents find a better path. Now, after having made regrettable choices of his own, he is sharing his experiences in the hopes that others won't make the same mistakes he did. Both Sides of the Street will teach how changing your thought process can help you make smarter decisions instead of impulsive ones. Improving self-awareness can change and maybe even save your life! This book will help you understand how drugs, guns, and the pursuit of wealth can lead to deadly consequences.

Whether you're in the streets, you're trying to get out of the streets, or you work with those who struggle to find themselves, Both Sides of the Street is a wake up call that reveals the most common misconceptions about life in the streets. With honest, direct language, Marcus describes the realities that so many people are unaware of (or trying to get away from) and gives practical guidance on how to do so. He also gives tips on ways budgeting can help you become financially stable and secure a brighter future. No matter where you are in life right now, you can set and achieve your goals!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marcus Whitley
• Release date: Aug 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9780578936390

Marcus Whitley

Marcus Whitley was born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he and his family were living below the poverty line. Every day was a struggle. He knew he didn’t want to live that way forever, and the streets seemed like the only answer. Temptation also made it hard to resist. When he became of legal age, he began working as a dishwasher while still involved in the streets. The minimum wage might have been a steady paycheck, but it wasn’t enough to make him give up what the streets could offer. He became so lost in a lifestyle of money, guns, and drugs that it almost cost him his life. As a consequence of his lifestyle, Marcus was sentenced to six years in prison. The years he spent there changed his life forever, both negatively and positively. He finished school and continued to further his education, but he was also traumatized and developed PTSD. Studying topics like business, life strategies, and the music industry while also consistently being in the gym kept him busy and out of trouble. By utilizing all of the resources and programs available to him, Marcus was able to plan for a better future upon release. Success wasn’t out of the picture and “no” wasn’t an answer he was willing to take. While he was incarcerated, he started his fitness career by training other inmates in the prison facilities. Marcus currently works at a school for students with emotional behavioral disorders. His troubled past and challenging life experiences allow him to identify with struggling youth. He helps them understand that a few bad choices don’t make them a bad person. All it takes is one right choice to set them on a path that could change their lives forever. Marcus is devoted to being a youth advocate and mentor. In addition to his work with youth, Marcus is a recording artist with a background in poetry, songwriting, and now a published author. Along with this book, he has two albums and several mixtapes being streamed and sold online. He is also a certified fitness trainer and has his own gym where he specializes in one-on-one and small group training. His fitness brand is called “Face Your FIT.” In and out of the gym, he strives to promote health and hard work while helping others achieve their goals.

Book preview

WE ALL MAKE CHOICES

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When you’re a kid growing up, the streets look like Hollywood—all the jewelry, nice cars, and beautiful women would make any kid want to live that life. Dudes pulling up in foreign cars or convertibles with the top down, stepping out with the freshest kicks and fly clothes, like Gucci, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Dior, all the famous designer brands. I get it.

All the rappers talk about wearing red bottoms and having the most expensive clothes. Who wouldn't dream of being noticed like that and having all eyes on you? Women will drop their panties just to sit in your car and be next to you; everyone knows your name and wants to be associated with you. It’s hard not to be drawn to the bright lights and superstar status. Kanye West said it best when he made the song called The Good Life talking about being able to have everything you’ve ever wanted, just like the happy ending of a fairy tale.

Others come from nothing—they're born into poverty, so that life looks like an easy way out. They’re tired of eating ramen noodles and peanut butter sandwiches every day, as they dream about what steak and lobster taste like. That was me. I grew up having nothing. I hated knowing that my mom was constantly stressed out and always struggling to pay the rent or put food on the table. I hated having to see other kids with new toys or sneakers while all mine were old and worn down. I hated living like that. I knew if I wanted things to change, I would have to make changes. The perception of fast money looked like the perfect way to solve all my problems. Then again, cash seems like the solution to anything and everything when you’re young.

Then you've got the few who try so hard to seem cool just to feel like they're a part of something. They see rappers, movie stars, drug dealers, and everyone else getting money, and they so badly want to live that lifestyle, too, so they can show off to all their boys and all the girls on the block. They don’t know anything about the streets or what they're about, but they still want to be a part of the scene because they're drawn to the appearance of success.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase Fake it ‘til you make it! Well, that might work in situations, but not so much when you’re trying to fake an entire lifestyle. Social media plays a big part in being able to fake it because it allows individuals to lie easily. You see it all the time just scrolling through Instagram or Facebook: people posting pictures of themselves posing with stacks of cash or all this jewelry or standing next to an expensive car. What they don’t post about is that the stack of money is probably their girl’s rent payment or that they’re wearing their friends' chains or bracelets. Or that they’re standing next to someone else’s car. They most likely don’t even know that person—they’re just standing there to give the appearance that the car is theirs.

A handful of smarter ones stash money away for a lawyer before buying all the flashy things in case they get caught up. It's always better to have that sense of security, because anything can happen. It's