Aisha Rodriguez

At 12 years old, being a girl meant being one of the boys. It meant hitting the courts and hitting the books. You can never catch me slacking. And part of this meant having this big group of guy friends to protect me, even though I was a good foot taller than most of them, a better ball player than half of them. You know, we really, we stayed together, and they had my back.

At 12 years old, being a girl meant being one of the boys. It meant hitting the courts and hitting the books. You can never catch me slacking. And part of this meant having this big group of guy friends to protect me, even though I was a good foot taller than most of them, a better ball player than half of them. You know, we really, we stayed together, and they had my back.

At 12 years old, being a girl meant being one of the boys. It meant hitting the courts and hitting the books. You can never catch me slacking. And part of this meant having this big group of guy friends to protect me, even though I was a good foot taller than most of them, a better ball player than half of them. You know, we really, we stayed together, and they had my back.

And part of this was, we thought we ran the streets, but we ran student council. And we didn't really know nothing more than the school in the schoolyard. But one day, things changed, and we wanted to expand the horizons, go to another ballpark. And, you know, part of this was going out later and farther.

And part of this was, we thought we ran the streets, but we ran student council. And we didn't really know nothing more than the school in the schoolyard. But one day, things changed, and we wanted to expand the horizons, go to another ballpark. And, you know, part of this was going out later and farther.

And part of this was, we thought we ran the streets, but we ran student council. And we didn't really know nothing more than the school in the schoolyard. But one day, things changed, and we wanted to expand the horizons, go to another ballpark. And, you know, part of this was going out later and farther.

And being the girl of my family was difficult in this sense, because I was always home, getting my work together, you know, keep it together, because you're the youngest girl. And I told my mom, like, oh, mommy, mommy, can I please go with Marisol, Nelisa, Jessica? And really, I was with Justin, Kevin, Jeremy. But somehow I got out, and I was so happy.

And being the girl of my family was difficult in this sense, because I was always home, getting my work together, you know, keep it together, because you're the youngest girl. And I told my mom, like, oh, mommy, mommy, can I please go with Marisol, Nelisa, Jessica? And really, I was with Justin, Kevin, Jeremy. But somehow I got out, and I was so happy.

And being the girl of my family was difficult in this sense, because I was always home, getting my work together, you know, keep it together, because you're the youngest girl. And I told my mom, like, oh, mommy, mommy, can I please go with Marisol, Nelisa, Jessica? And really, I was with Justin, Kevin, Jeremy. But somehow I got out, and I was so happy.

And we're at this new park, a couple blocks further than the last one, and we're thinking like, yo, we run these streets, man. But it's starting to get later and later, and I'm realizing like, oh man, I lied. I'm going to get in trouble. My mom doesn't know where I'm at, who I'm with. There was nothing worse than getting in trouble. So I tell my friends, let's start heading home.

And we're at this new park, a couple blocks further than the last one, and we're thinking like, yo, we run these streets, man. But it's starting to get later and later, and I'm realizing like, oh man, I lied. I'm going to get in trouble. My mom doesn't know where I'm at, who I'm with. There was nothing worse than getting in trouble. So I tell my friends, let's start heading home.

And we're at this new park, a couple blocks further than the last one, and we're thinking like, yo, we run these streets, man. But it's starting to get later and later, and I'm realizing like, oh man, I lied. I'm going to get in trouble. My mom doesn't know where I'm at, who I'm with. There was nothing worse than getting in trouble. So I tell my friends, let's start heading home.

You know, it's late. It's 9 p.m., middle of the night. And because they're 12, too, they're like, yeah, Aisha, let's go. So we're walking home. And the way it works is that I live the farthest from the park. And each avenue, a different friend lives. So we're dropping off one by one. And it ends up me, Justin, and Kevin. And I'm starting really to panic. Like, I'm lying. I'm late.

You know, it's late. It's 9 p.m., middle of the night. And because they're 12, too, they're like, yeah, Aisha, let's go. So we're walking home. And the way it works is that I live the farthest from the park. And each avenue, a different friend lives. So we're dropping off one by one. And it ends up me, Justin, and Kevin. And I'm starting really to panic. Like, I'm lying. I'm late.

You know, it's late. It's 9 p.m., middle of the night. And because they're 12, too, they're like, yeah, Aisha, let's go. So we're walking home. And the way it works is that I live the farthest from the park. And each avenue, a different friend lives. So we're dropping off one by one. And it ends up me, Justin, and Kevin. And I'm starting really to panic. Like, I'm lying. I'm late.

I'm supposed to be home already. I'm going to get in trouble. I'm going to die. Like, it's it. And as I'm starting to have this panic attack, my phone starts to vibrate in my pocket. And I take it out. And it says mom, who I should mention is my grandma. And I call her mom. And I pick up ready. Like, oh, mommy, mommy, I'm on my way home. And she stops me. And she goes, Aisha, don't come home.

I'm supposed to be home already. I'm going to get in trouble. I'm going to die. Like, it's it. And as I'm starting to have this panic attack, my phone starts to vibrate in my pocket. And I take it out. And it says mom, who I should mention is my grandma. And I call her mom. And I pick up ready. Like, oh, mommy, mommy, I'm on my way home. And she stops me. And she goes, Aisha, don't come home.

I'm supposed to be home already. I'm going to get in trouble. I'm going to die. Like, it's it. And as I'm starting to have this panic attack, my phone starts to vibrate in my pocket. And I take it out. And it says mom, who I should mention is my grandma. And I call her mom. And I pick up ready. Like, oh, mommy, mommy, I'm on my way home. And she stops me. And she goes, Aisha, don't come home.

And the call drops. And I'm really starting to think, man, the world is over as I know it. And little did I know I was right. So I take the phone back out, and I dial my house, and I'm ready with the same spiel, and I tell her, like, Mommy, Mommy, I'm on my way home. She stops me again and goes, Aisha, don't come home. Someone got raped in the elevator. And the call drops yet again.

And the call drops. And I'm really starting to think, man, the world is over as I know it. And little did I know I was right. So I take the phone back out, and I dial my house, and I'm ready with the same spiel, and I tell her, like, Mommy, Mommy, I'm on my way home. She stops me again and goes, Aisha, don't come home. Someone got raped in the elevator. And the call drops yet again.