Keonte Porter This My Life
The ConTextos Authors Circle was developed in collaboration with young people at-risk of, victims of, or perpetrators of violence in El Salvador. In 2017 this innovative program expanded into Chicago to create tangible, high quality opportunities that nourish the minds, expand the voices and share the personal truths of individuals who have long been underserved and underestimated. Through the process of drafting, revising and publishing memoirs, participants develop self-reflection, critical thinking, camaraderie and positive self-projection to author new life narratives.
Since January 2017 ConTextos has partnered with Cook County Sheriff's Office to implement Authors Circle in Cook County Department of Corrections as part of a vision for reform that recognizes the value of mental health, rehabilitation and reflection. These powerful memoirs complicate the narratives of violence and peace building, and help author a hopeful future for human beings behind walls, their families and our collective communities.
While each author’s text is solely the work of the Author, the image used to create this book’s illustrations have been sourced by various print publications. Authors curate these images and then, using only their hands, manipulate the images through tearing, folding, layering and careful positioning. By applying these collage techniques, Authors transform their written memoirs into illustrated books.
This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number ALN 21.027 awarded to Cook County by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
This My Life
Keonte Porter
Growing up was decent. I went to a school in Riverdale, IL and shit got rough as I got older. I used to always say I can’t wait until I get grown, now I wish I could’ve stayed a kid as long as possible, now I’m twenty-two. A lot of people say, “Oh you ' re still young ” or “ you ' re still a kid,” which may be true, but the stuff I went through, a lot of grown motherfuckers have never seen or been through.
My life is really like a movie. If you ask me, I probably rushed a lot of shit in my life
A lot of shit I go through tends to be my fault.
My OG warned me about a lot of things before I even went through it, but with me being a boy/man, I just had to experience most of it by myself.
I started smoking heavily around twelve, thirteen years old. Of course, my people didn’t know when I exactly started, it was easier to get away with a lot of stuff because I grew up living with my grandparents.
Eventually, they caught on to certain things I was doing. My pops wasn’t around, he got booked when I was two and didn't get out until I was around ten or eleven years old, and we ain’t just connect like a son and father should.
Like I said, I stayed with my grandparent so technically, I looked at them more like parents. My OG was always around, but we didn’t stay together, so I saw her whenever she came around, which was often, but I knew how to act when she was around.
Shit, I was scared of her, she was still my OG but eventually I slipped up going in the house smelling like weed. I was around my homies, people who smoked only lasted so long.
We all know how that go, you start off slow then get to getting dig high, eyes start getting red and now you get munchies type of shit and that smell sticks especially to motherfuckets who don’t smoke.
My granny and my grandpa always worked nights, so it was easy for the most part until she got bored and started to know more and more, then of course she had to report back to my OG when she really found out, then here comes my OG threatening me with the drug tests.
Body
I went to high school at Thornridge where I had the best years of my life even though I really didn’t like school so much. High school helped me figure out who I was, unfortunately I only made it through my freshman and sophomore year and junior year I got kicked out for mob action. I had the biggest fights of the school year freshman and sophomore year and junior year it was me and my 5-year homie every time. But that's also where I got noticed everybody knew me as the popular funny cool guy that dont take sh** from nobody. I always stayed with the latest mikes and I always stayed around people who enjoyed my company and everywhere I went I was known to have the baddest girl I mean EVERYWHERE! Μy grandma was the most supportive with anything I wanted to do even now nobody is better than her grandson in her eyes.
My pops and uncle were jealous of how good she treated me and not them lol My grandpa spoiled me rotten and I could never understand why. Until I got older he just wanted to be around to give me everything he never had or his 2 sons which were my pops and uncle. And that was understandable.
I had every game, all the latest shoes, clothes and hats and that's all I was used to so once I started getting older I tried learning how to provide for myself selling drugs was never my thing I hated the re-up part and I feel as if that just wasn’t me.
I had tried rapping as a career. I just couldn't put my all into it even though I was pretty decent and everything I ever dropped on youtube or Instagram is how most people knew me. When I got kicked out my junior year I never thought what to do with my life, I tried and tried everything I thought was my speed to be successful but I start giving up on myself and doing drugs that's the only thing that made me feel good about myself honestlyI could pull any girl of course that's what kept me cool.
I was older so I couldn't get in trouble for it. I managed to also get my license early so I ended up getting me a 2008 and polish most of my homies went to school some of them skip school to hang with me in my other homey the others do you work they were supposed to and met with us afterI always love the image I had so nothing really
Bother me my OG was a good mother even though she didn't have to she still provided for me and was like everything was just stuck on me so I feel like I let my OG and grandparents down a lot not giving them a lot to brag on so I always try to keep them happy with anything whether it was a job or an interview for a job or just making a song to see them smile. Life was so so for me honestly not too good or too bad.
Or my life was decent and two I've got about eight that's when I really start to get in trouble with the law moving the wrong way with the wrong crowd, but also that's when I start having a lot going for myself I started working at Amazon getting great checks I got my first car about 18 when I first got my license I worked at Amazon for about a year my bad. Weighed about probably about equal as the good I was doing so my 19th year was when I bought me a 2018 Nissan maxima this was the year 2021 2022.
So I was doing pretty good for myself especially 19 I had my foid I had money and clothes and 2 cars. I had everything I needed and then I ran into a speedbump in my lifeI had always did a few joints in my life but I wasn't too happy with the drugs I did smoke and pop but I wasn't too happy with the drugs I did smoke and popped A few xans and a few percs And drunk a little lean Typical shit for people to do my age.
Then one day I would say fucked up my whole understanding of life I get a hold of some bad drugs one day I was going to work it was a xanax I didn't have any weed and only smoked one blunt before I go to work but like I said this time I didn't have any so I smoked a roach and popped half the xan I got from my homie.
Who happen to also work with me this particular drug always seem to make me forget.
All I can remember is he crashed. Fast forward me losing my job cost me to keep running into trouble I ended up hanging with the wrong people we had storage to make change I got charged with burgerly And have to spend my 20th birthday in jail I got out right before the new year 2023 I made it to see the new year when I had the little sit down it made me realize who is really there for me and who wasn’t as soon as I came home my five year homie who I thought was solid even betrayed me talking to every female who I thought was holding me down.
While I was gone and I ended up with the female I least expected to keep my life together. Shit it eve surprised me This girl was everything I needed she been with me through everything. she is the reason I realize that life wasn’t for me She show me that lotta shit wasn't cool anytime I didn't have stuff that I needed she came through for me all I knew was the wrong way to get money she let me know it wasn't worth putting my freedom on the line since I've been out to 2023 better my life honestly I brought out a side of her nobody did and it was vice versa her support system is everything I could ask for.
Now it’s 2025 and I ended up back in the county from a simple mistake with my lady to the county I go to LOL.
All I can come up with is everything happens for a reason. I've been here since March and the lady that changed my life has been here every step of the way. At this point in my life I'm with whatever happens.
I hope to be home with my soulmate finish this journey we call life luckily before I left everybody at home my dog who everybody loves my grandma never liked dogs but before I left she love my dog so much she never let us stay at her house she ever did that in her 60 years plus of living my mama even call my dog her granddaughter she loves her so much right now.
My dog is living with my girl and they are the best of friends a Part of me is happy I made that happen I know my dog isn’t me but she gives them the same joy when she’s around Just as if she was with me This is my life I still have a lot to live and learn from I just Hope I can make a change when I get out and get everybody everything they got come from me I'll be sure to make my grandparents happy no matter what and for my girl and OG I'll never be this selfish and leave you again due to the fact I'm the one that provides for you all
I Am From
I am from 138th
From black gate and pacesetter
I am from projects and unc nem
I am from trees and hot cars
Trees and cars that's not yours
I’m from Bam and Smito
From basketball with smito
And from rapping with Bam
