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Remembering Jorge

Listen to this Commentary!

By Belia Mayeno-Choy

Recently, my sister told me our old friend Jorge had been shot and killed.

I'm Belia Mayeno-Choy with a commentary from Youth Radio.

He was like a big tough cousin to us. He'd intimidate prospective boyfriends and always tease me about something — calling me a nerd for reading so much, or asking for reassurance that I was really half Mexican when he saw my pale legs in the summertime.

It was because of Jorge that I started working as a writing mentor with incarcerated youth. Sometimes, when I'm at the detention center laughing and trash-talking, I'm reminded of hanging out with Jorge. Some of the young men sort of resemble him — they're young and old at the same time.

After I found out Jorge was gone, I cried for a long time — and not just because he died in such a violent way. But more than anything else I know many people will not mourn a Mexican immigrant with a criminal history.

I cried because there were so many good things inside of him that some chose not to see.

For Youth Radio, I'm Belia Mayeno-Choy.