Perseverance

By Tacaria Bryant

A memoir about a young girl living in Compton California. She perseveres in an unstable environment. She is in an alcoholic, dysfunctional and gang affiliated environment. She helps children along the way, to survive in her similar circumstances. She loves Jesus and often talks to him, to help her one day at a time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tacaria Bryant
• Release date: Jan 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224189212

Book preview

Perseverance

Author: Tacaria Bryant

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I've always dreamed of writing my memoir. I thank Jesus for helping me write this book. I want to thank Marcy for prophesying to me back in 1993 that she saw this memoir become a reality. I also thank my uncle Elliot and aunt for teaching me proper English and encouraging me to read. I also thank Mariah for helping me with her words of encouragement and beautiful voice to pray to the Lord and make it happen.

For permission write to me via email the publisher , Attention: Permission Coordinator, at the address below.

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The main category of the book-

Memoir-

Cover Designer by Tacara Bryant

Table of contents

Chapter 1: My earliest memories 

Chapter 2: Tacaras little boyfriend

Chapter 3: Jr. High

Chapter 4: Nice girl

Chapter 5: Rebellion and Trauma

Chapter 6: The inventory

Chapter 7: The right doctrine

Forward :  Hello everyone I have known Tacara since she was eight years old. She has always had a connection with the Lord! She helped me when I was battling my Aids diagnosis at the  age of 22 years old.

Tacara was the first one to give me hope for a brighter future. This was at a time when Aids was at an all time high. Millions of people were dying and very ill. My  neice was the first person to touch me and not be afraid. 

The family shunned and said terrible things about her. Even though she was a child.  She didn't know this at the time but she didn't need to.  She had to endure horrific things during her life because she was chosen to do this as a sacrifice for the Lord.

I  have been watching my niece for years.  I have been helping her along the way. She is truly grateful for everything she has sacrificed to continue to fight for her crown.

I love Tacara

Love Marcy

Chapter # 1 My Earliest Memories

It's funny how you go through a series of events, not knowing that you've experienced all those things, to shape you into the woman that you were truly meant to become.

***

It's 2009, and I'm walking down Figueroa St. As I push my toddler in her stroller, I am constantly looking over my shoulders, to see if anyone is following me. I notice a latin grocery market to my right. I stop at the driveway and hope that my baby and I are not hit by a car, as I rush pass the driveway. I sigh with relief as I make it safely across the driveway.

I then continue to walk, as I look around scoping the drug addicts and men, hoping I make it safely to my destination. Finally I see the address my case worker had given me. It’s written down on a small piece of paper. I cross one more street, nervously as I do not want to be accidentally hit by a car. I breathe another sigh of relief as I've made it to my address. I walked into my very first A.A meeting. I pulled out a chair, and I began to listen to the speakers.

I sat near the front of the meeting, and as the speakers share, I am inspired by what I hear. It is during this meeting that I realize. I am an alcoholic.

I continue to go to the meetings. While attending  AA, I met some really supportive friends. I got a sponsor named Ruth, who helped me see that I am talented, and a good writer. I was reading my fourth step to her one day, when I realized I wanted to write my whole life story.***

My earliest memories were in 1988 when I was around 3 years old. I specifically remember walking in a party, held in the living room of my home, located in Compton California.The music was loud, and there were people everywhere. I remember my uncle Jermain picking me up! I was very fond of him, and I remember him being tall and slim, with a Jheri curl and he always drove a cadillac.

He was my aunt Shena's boyfriend. Shena was brown skinned, and had long beautiful hair. She was really pretty and I thought she was very sweet, and I adored her.

When I was still about the same age, my mom Veronica left me and my older brother Rayquan to live with her boyfriend Quintin.  She only  took my baby sister Anya with her. It was at this time, when my Grandma  and my Aunt Trina, would raise me.

My Grandma had four daughters. Aunt Shena was the eldest, my mom Veronica was the second, my aunt Trina came third, and fourth was aunt Linda.

My aunt Trina was in her early twenties, and she had a boyfriend who I was very fond of at the time. I  called him uncle Tommy. My aunt Shena, aunt Trina, brother Rayquan, me, and my grandma, lived in a four room house. Many house parties took place in our home. I didn’t like these parties. I remember many drive-by shootings, and the adults in my family, telling me to drop to the ground, so that I wouldn't get hit by a stray bullet. I was also told to cut the lights off, during these shootings, because lights would attract the shooters to our home. 

This terrified me, as I would often hear of small children being shot, while in their homes during a drive by shooting. Our house was a target, because there were always gang members hanging out in front of our home.  As time went on this became the normal everyday way of life.

I was told by my aunt Linda to call the police every time there was commotion going on at my home, which was very often. There would be fights and arguments between the men hanging out front. My mom was not there, and I didnt have a dad around either.

Everytime drama would happen , I would run to the back room where my grandma slept, and dial 911. I would be petrified, at the violence at my house, so I would call and say 759 E. 169th. St. Tacara,  because I was so nervous that was all I could get out. I would call so much, that my name and audio recording would often air on the news.

My family would be very angry with me for doing this, and eventually, I stopped calling. During this time, I became very attached to my aunt Trina and uncle Tommy. They taught me to use big words, and to treat adults with respect.  My aunt was a tall and slim woman. She was in her early twenties, and she had a baby boy named Jason.

Jason was chubby and cute, and he always had a bottle of juice. My aunt Trina, had a group of women friends that she referred to as The crew. They would consist of her three childhood friends, and her younger sister Linda. Sometimes, they would sit in our garage, located in the back of our home. Trina's friends were very mean sometimes to my uncle Tommy. They would taunt him, and make colorist remarks about him. They would say things like, "Trina is too pretty to be dating Tommy, because he's too dark complected.

Tommy would hear them say these awful things about him, as he sat in the living room. He would have his head held down low. As the women in the back would make fun of him , for being dark skinned. When this would happen, my aunt Trina would send me to the Living room, to comfort him. She would tell me what to say to him. So, I would jump into my uncle's arms , and say, You are the most handsome man in the whole Universe!

He would have his head held so low, and then he would lift his head up and have the biggest smile on his face. I would cheer him up every time! I remember uncle Tommy, holding me in his arms as he rocked me to sleep, as he often did. I recall looking up at his face, and repeating his name until I fell asleep.

My aunt Trina, Tommy and I were very close for a while, but later I became very close to my aunt Shena. I guess aunt Shena took a liking to me, so she bribed me by offering me candy and took over. I know now how much this hurt Aunt Trina.

I was often told how much I resembled Aunt Shena. She also had a boyfriend named Mathew that my whole family was very fond of. I was  very fond of him as well.

Oftentimes, I remember riding in his van. One evening, while in his van, I remember driving and seeing flashing lights in the city. I also saw many billboards. I was a small child, and the world was new and exciting to me! Then Mathew went away, and my aunt had a new boyfriend.

This is when my uncle Jermain came into the picture. One evening, I heard my aunt Shena screaming, " You guys, STOP!...Stop! That fighting. I went outside,and I saw Mathew, and Jermain physically fighting. This confused me, because I liked both of these men and saw them as my uncles. The next thing I remember was seeing Mathew in the bathroom with the door open.

He was touching his face and looking in the mirror. I remember asking Mathew, Did he scratch you? Mathew nodded his head. I was concerned for him. After this incident, I wouldn't see him for many years.

My mom would visit, and I would