Beauty Beauty
Volume 1
Edited by Karla Robinson Edited by Karla RobinsonBronx Beauty Volume 1
A Bronx Archive
Sadie Nash Leadership Project at New Settlement Program for Girls & Young Women
Spring 2023
Poetry and Photography
by Bronx youth
2023 Document. Dream, Disrupt.
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Inspired by Maya Cooper
Natural Beauty
Maryah Cooper
4
Bronx Botanical Garden
5
Amaya Acelia Rodriguez Townsend Avenue
Elliot & Jerome JahnaiJoseph
wherethismagiclies;it’shome ThebeautifulBronx 6
Doyoureallyknow
Ashley Montano
7
Elliot Street & Jerome Avenue
24-7, 365
ChrisLong
I’mthekindofperson
whojustdoesn’tknow thebeauty
ofmyowncommunity
WhenIlookinthemirror
Iseepowerandhope
Thefireinmyeyes
tryingtoescapefrommyheart
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Ilikeithere.
I’mnottryingtoleaveeverything
Gettingoutofschool
Thecocomangocherryladyonthecorner
Thefirstafterschoolslumber
Thelittlethings
I’monlyherecuzyou’rehere
MakingsureIgettoschoolontime
Youalwaysfail
I’mtryingtoshowmyself
theloveyoushowme
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Rabbit Hole into the Wonder Bronx
Acelia Rodriguez
Amaya
10
Alfred E. Smith High School on E151 Street
Icomefromalonglineofhopelessness
Afeelingofneverbelieving
Icouldachieveanythingatall.
WhyshouldItrywhenI mightnotgetsomewhere?
HowcanIknowI’llgetanywhereatall?
I’mfallingandfalling
downarabbitholeoftheunknown, wonderingifI’llevergetout.
It’sscary,andit’shard.
ButtherabbitandallImeet makesmetryanyway.
SometimesIwonderwhatit’sallfor?
Whyhastherabbitledmehere?
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Itwastoremindmeofsomething Iforgotlongago.
Ishouldhaveneverforgotten thetruebeautyofwhatlifeisHowoneofourgreatestabilities aslivingandbreathingcreaturesis survivingandgettingthroughthings. Together.
Howwecanmake thebestofwhatwehave andadapttotheworldaroundus. Makeitourown.
Ourveryownwonderland.
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Amaya Acelia Rodriguez
13
Amaya Acelia Rodriguez Starlight Park
Beautiful Wonders AshleyMontano
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Bronx side of the GWB
Brokenbeautyshinesbrightwithpeace
Norainydays
Thesunalwaysshines
Thesunsetsandendsthisbeauty
Darkness
Shiningbright
Starsfillthenightwithit’sglow
Ashley Montano
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F o r a l l o f y o u I w i s h n o p a i n p e a c e h o n e s t y g e n e r o s i t y h o p e r e s p e c t l a u g h t e r l o y a l t y
c o u r a g e o u s r e u n i o n s p l e n t i f u l g a r d e n s b l o o m i n g p h o t o : M a r y a h C o o p e r c o l l a b o r a t i v e p o e m : N e w S e t t l e m e n t N a s h e r s
Transcendent
Jahnai Joseph
Treatourcommunity withlove
Crotona Park
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19 19
Chris Long
The Lovers ahaiku ChrisLong IamfromtheBronx Mylove,youarefromBrooklyn 125th,wemeet 20
Entrepreneur Deeds
Maya Cooper
Tremont Avenue
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Spring in the Bronx Maya Cooper
22
Jerome Avenue
Lessons in Life You Need to Learn
MayaandMaryahCooper
Nobodyevertoldme thatfriendscomeandgo. Onedaythey’rehere thenthenexttheyareaway betrayingyoulikean outcastonthelow.
OfcourseIhadtolearn thatonmyown.
Nomatterwhatwedoasleaders wecanneverpleaseeveryone. Doyouandalwaysforyou.
Nobodyevertoldme goodthingsdon’tcomeeasy. Gowiththeflow
andworkhard tobeabletogrow.
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