Summary: A Place To Stand

A Place to Stand In Chapter 2 of his memoir, poet and author Jimmy Santiago Baca recounts about being thirteen years old the first time he was incarcerated. He was made ward of the court and placed in a boys detention center for running away from the orphanage on various occasions. During his stay in the detention center, he was around other chicano boys who concealed their fears and suffering with a defiant pride, they taught him how to fight and intimidate others. The director of the facility decided to give him the opportunity to attend a local high school where he met the school’s football coach, and soon after joined the football team. Years of suppressed hurt and anger made him an asset to the team because of his aggressiveness in the sport. He felt proud from the admiration he received from his peers, a sense of satisfaction and

His writing is so descriptive, I felt as though I was there witnessing the occurring events. I was sadden by the emotional pain he endured at such a young age, and at the same instance I also felt angry because the thought of children in today’s society who are living with this sort of torment everyday by not having a family to be there for them. My oldest son has grown up with a family who is there for him not matter what happens, we never turn our back on what is ours, for the best or for the worse we are a family. He will soon turn twenty-seven and has been in and out of Juvenile Hall, County Jail, and State Prison since the age of thirteen. He just recently took a deal for a three year prison term. He explains to me that it’s difficult for him to live outside of prison bars because he feels lost in society. We all pray for him to find his way back and feel accepted in society. I will never lose faith in him, he’s a beautiful person and needs to learn how to believe in