My Story: A Best Seller
Warren Tate
African Proverb
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 selfprojection 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.
Until the lion learns to write their own story, tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter
-
My Story: A Best Seller
Warren Tate
I love being in ConTextos class, hearing raw feelings and a lot of things that open up my mind. I’m opening up my mind to new things and now I can write about my life. I’m learning that everyone has a story and I’m a bestseller. The problem is getting it on paper. I have a feeling of the things that I’m dealing with but I don’t know where to really start. But I’m trying.
My mind is everywhere and the love that I got for young people talking and working together, that’s a beautiful thing.
I’m
an old soul.
I’m here to teach and to help, that's what I’m built for, and I love to teach and I know that God put me here to do that, and I feel it in my soul. I have love for the world and I know I am meant for more in life.
Igetso madaboutwhat ’sgoing on in t his worldtoday .
I try everyday to be happy but sometimes it’s so hard. I have two kids and I think everyday how can I make it better for them and then don’t. Let’s go back to this school thing and writing thing. As I get older it gets better and I’m learning to push on and grow. I’m strong physically but mentally I feel down, but as I go, I do better and I do strive to do better. I’m a guy that works with his hands but as I get older I’m learning that I need school and that I really like it. And that’s crazy.
I don’t have book sense but God showed me a way and that’s with my hands and I’m good with them. I came up with the older people from the south that couldn’t read or write but they learned that they can make it. That's where I get my go-get-it mind. Someone took time to take me in and show me that I, Warren, can be somebody in life. I have two sons that love me for just who I am. And who I am . . . .
I get this old and now I want to go to school.
All my life I have had a problem with this school thing. I’m mad it took 30 to 40 some years to learn that I still have a chance at life. That’s what I want to teach my sons. I do love that they do love me and they show it. I’m working on it one day at a time.
When I think that it’s no good but I’m learning that it don’t matter when it kicks in, when you feel that thing for learning. Just do it and don’t stop until you ’ re dead. Now that I’m a grandfather, I really feel like I have to make a change. Like they say stand for something or fall for anything. I do want to be remembered as a fighter and not for this thing – that Black man that did time.
I'm Warren talking to you about my childhood.
It's so crazy that now I want to get it straight. I guess now is better than later. I'm
loving learning and I want to try to go to school to do better in life. I was just thinking
about my son asking me for help and I can't help. That hurt but I'm not giving up. All
my life I've been told that I had a learning disability but I refused to believe that, so I
into fights then.
always pushed forward all my life and didgood. That's how I want to learn. Learn
how to do carpet. But it started when I was young in grammar school. I always got
I was always put into the class with kids with problems, then God put me here to help someone and I gave one of my school teachers a kidney that saved his life. God did that, not me. My life been different since.
I, Warren, would love to start writing but my mind was clouded today. I had a headache. Too much court things going on and I don't know what to do.
Don’t want to get in trouble trying to keep myself together. Thinking right so I’m going to do some reading and let my mind go.
I’m sitting in my cell thinking about my son hoping that God gives me the time to show him how to be a man and that he don’t have to go through what I have. My life hasn’t been so bad. I was raised by people from the South and that is all I know. I wish I knew better, I could have done better. I thought that I could not go far. So I hung with the guys on the block, and that’s how I got in jail and then that’s when I seen I could’ve done a lot of things with my life.
That shit’s crazy. Now shit is out of control, so now all I can do is get on my feet and do my best. I’m not mad. I must get back and show my kid what’s what. But what I can say is that I did learn from this bullshit. I’m 43 years of age and still have my understanding and health. I’m grateful for that. All I want to do is be able to leave these two big ass-head boys of mine something and my grandbaby Kanova, a girl, that I did not ever have. My oldest son did that for me.
I’m growing and I’m still learning
I was always about family because I'm a good family but my mom and aunt were raised different than my other family because they lived without so much. So I was privileged the most of the kids. My landlord was like my granddad to me and he showed me how to do a lot of things around the building that I was staying at.
God has blessed me because of the things I have seen and I’m still here is a blessing in itself. I try not to let the past hold me back and move forward with life and do it.
Me being an alcoholic, I take it one day at a time.
This is going to be ok. I got this old, now I got time to take my time and that’s cool. I see that I don’t have to move fast and I can do it a lot better. It always took me time to do things and now I see that’s ok. Like they say, better late than never.
I’m trying so hard to write this memoir. I just want to let the world know that I do have a heart. I'm a teacher. I am not what this jail system want the world to see. I, Warren was having a big problem with this writing and it had to be God so that I know I can get through this without holding this. So this is not by mistake that this happened and I don't feel bad about it. I’m growing and I’m still learning. So I'm happy to do it.
The world will see that I am the one. The one to show the young that they can do this and love what they do. I’m just a hard worker and fall in love with what I do. I knew when I was working and someone asked me, Warren, for help-- from a guy that don’t have any book sense. That’s when I know that I can teach, that I can really make a life for myself.
Warren Tate
I Am From
I am from 290 where I can see the old Cook County Hospital from the Eway
From coming out the front door first thing was Douglas Park.
I am from riding bikes on Sacramento Blvd., air blowing in my hair.
I am from popping willies, moving fast as a car
As the sun sets the bottles pop.
I’m from Chalmers Elementary where I ran into my first love.
From learning and watching, watching and learning, the old school.
And from seeing my mom ’ s and grandmom raising 5 kids
I’m from loving people who didn’t mind showing me how And from going through and through, experiencing life.
I’m from being baptized in Living Word Christian Center
I’m from Spragg’s bucket of tips and bucket fries off Lake Street.
Until the lion learns to write their own story, tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter - African Proverb