POV

Bicycle gears clicking

Conversing indistinctly

-I like staying in Bertie. I like waking up smelling the fresh corn and stuff. -You gonna laugh, but I ain't gonna lift it. -I wanted to be, like, a policeman or work on cars, you know, like a -- what do you call it -- a mechanic. Or I could be a secret agent, yeah. That would be fun. Be a agent. -I ain't gonna try. I probably can't even do it. -What do we have to drink, Ma? No, I want Kool-Aid. -You want Kool-Aid? -Yeah. I want to be rich, so I thought about selling drugs, but I never wanted to sell them. Plus Mama says she'll break my neck. We don't got no damn ice-skating rink, no go-kart track, no...pool. No damn bowling alleys.

Clippers buzzing

-You can tell me.

Laughter

-Me and and my daddy used to go to different barber shops just to see how they are. Get our hair cut together. I'm gonna go ahead and get my barber's license. You can open up barber shops all around the world. -Davonte! "Dada"! Dada! -Me and my mom been living together for six months without my dad. How am I gonna brush it? -I don't know. Do just like that. -But I wish I could see my mommy and daddy back together. And I would ask him like, "Why you don't call me?" -My neighborhood is fine. Used to be back there playing um, ball, full court, to the neighbor's house over there. My grandma stayed next door. Loved living here. There's one of my boys right there. EZ! Hello! But our hood, people are scared to come around here. We just stick together. I work with my dad. We landscape. He got his own business. You want to be your own boss, be your own business. -My new pet. He fun to play with. He's coming along. At first, he didn't have no food. He was just a homeless dog.

Barks

I don't even know what this place is. You know I ain't working here. Lord, a baby crying. You know I ain't going in there. -We do computer repair, computer sales, obviously, cell phone covers and accessories. -Yeah. Mm, so it's like my -- my typical place. Okay. Got to take a quiz. "How many..." What's that say? "Giga-- gigabyte?" Let me see. I'ma say 40. But that's a terabyte -- a terabyte have 40. Well, I never was good at tests. -

Laughs

Well, you did get some right. -Yeah, you right. Probably some people don't get none right. -That's true. We do have some people that miss them all. -I made, uh, one, two, three, I made like, uh, 30 more. And that's all. -

Laughs

I appreciate your time, man. -Mm-hmm. Y'all pencil back. -Okay. Thank you. -

Whistling

Door chimes

"You got to go online, bro." -So, what's first thing you have to do? You have to put the date of the application, which is today's date. Today is the 20th, I think? And then, you put your address. Meadow. M, E... A... -I've been better, okay? -Yeah, 'cause I'm about finished... you gonna... and anyways, you supposed to be doing this. -Says who? -Um, you the one that wants the job, right? -Yeah. -You have to learn, because ain't nobody gonna be there with you all the time. -Somebody's gonna help me. -No. You got to learn how to do some stuff on your own. -I'm gonna learn how to do it. Like, I do read. -Reg? Reg? Come on, get up for school. -I used to hate going to school. Got suspended a whole lot of times -- acting out, cussing, being bad, fighting, putting thumb tacks underneath seats. A whole bunch of stuff.

Indistinct conversation

-Hey, I need my name tag, sir. -Come on guys, let's stand up, do our power pledge this morning. Face the power pledge. -"I believe in myself..." -"I believe in myself..." -"...and my ability to do my best..." -"...and my ability to do my best..." -"I am intelligent." -"I am intelligent." -"I am capable of greatness." -"I am capable of greatness." -"I will think..." -"I will think..." -"...I will feel..." -"...I will feel..." -"...and I will reason." -"...and I will reason." -"I will read..." -"I will read..." -"...and I will write." -"...and I will write." -"I will do all these things." -"I will do all these things." -Like I was saying, a passive-aggressive person take all they can take until they can't take no more. If somebody do something to me, like Harley walk in and slap me behind the head everyday, if I don't say, "Harley, man, you need to stop. I don't like that," and then, one day I just explode, what's gonna end up happening? -Y'all gonna start a fight. -The strongest word that you can learn in your vocabulary is the word "no." But it's how you say it. Right. -I was 17 when I first came to the hive. Now that I'm 18, I'm looking at -- I'm looking at, I got to man up and take care of my responsibilities in school. -What are you gonna do with this box? You want to take them all out and...? -Yeah. You don't need them. -Before the Hive, in school I used to stay in one corner, by myself and not say nothing. I didn't want nobody to say nothing to me to hurt my feelings. I failed second grade and fourth grade. And I know I can learn 'cause I proved it already. -Look at your topic sentence in the introduction. After "refrigerator," what should be your main idea? -Video technology?

Indistinct shouting

-Let's see how many -- who can do the most. -One, two, three, four... There were so many African-American boys walking the streets. And I was saying to myself, "We got to find a way to get these babies back in school." I was running the Burch County Family Resource Center. Thank you, sugar, for coming. Y'all have a good day, baby. -You, too. -The school system didn't have an alternative school. So, when children were suspended, they would send the children down to me. It was an opportunity to pull these kids back into the educational system. And two years ago, we opened up the Hive. African-American males have had the perception that they have to prove themselves. I look at it, in this area, back to being a tenant farmer. My dad was a tenant farmer. Black boys started proving themselves by violence, by joining gangs. So, we had to de-brainwash them that, you don't have to prove yourself to anybody. We remove their entire past, and we're gonna put Mister in front of your name instead of a DOC number in front of your name. We're a quarter of a mile from the jail. And I often tell the boys, "You got a choice -- you can be educated at 117 County Farm Road or you can be educated at 219 County Farm Road. Take your choice."

Indistinct conversation

See y'all tomorrow. Bye-bye. -All right. -Bye. Y'all have a good day, now. -You, too. -Read tonight. -Bye. -This is too short. Uh-oh.

Indistinct music playing

I love my car. I got paid, like, 4 grand. And we couldn't touch it till we turned 18. So, when I turned 18, I just bought a new car. ...say they killed me and kidnapped my daughter I ain't even got no daughter, they mad 'cause I'm a baller And they hoes a caller, you know that I'ma stall her Then...her and...her, then never ever call her

Song stops

They can't hold me down, they can't stop my shine They can't block my grind, shawty, it's game time

Radio static

-Driving that big tractor... I thought about it, dropping out of school and just working on the farm but... -What you want, a ball? Kiki, my little nephew. My older brother, Mickey Mouse's, child. Come on, let's go find Mawmaw. -They was gonna put him into foster home if I didn't take him. So I told them I would do the best I can. Because I didn't want him to go into a foster home with people he didn't know.

Clippers buzzing

Conversing indistinctly

-I like Kiki being around. I tell him right from right and wrong from wrong.

Buzzing continues

-You see him? Huh? You see him? Go give him a hug.

Laughs

-What's up, man? You all right? -Mm. They about to worry me to death. About to worry my to death. Hey, Boo. -I can tell you right now, Mickey Mouse was like one of the biggest drug dealers in one zone. He is my big brother, but... -I'm Mickey Mouse. You know that? -What your dad's name? -Mickey Mouse. -All right. -What's going on? -When my brother gets out, Kiki's supposed to be living with him... I guess. -I actually have a fear of going to jail 'cause my dad's been to prison, and I don't want to end up like him, to tell you the truth. -He would throw cigarettes at me. They'd burn me. He would smack me down in front of his family. I often thought, "That could happen to me." -I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that could make it hard to focus on your schoolwork. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don't feel safe. But at the end of the day -- what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have -- there is no excuse for not trying. -In a way, Bertie is unique. The population's 80% black. If it is our people that are in the driver's seat, we have to be careful that we change the story here. -

Laughs

-So, we have a majority of Greek fraternities and sororities on our campus, if you're interested in that. We have Chick-fil-A, Tropical Smoothie, Pizza Hut inside of here.

Indistinct conversations

We have a fitness center, so if you want to lift weights or work out, we have that upstairs. -Meeting new people, seeing new people. -Okay. Anybody play tennis? What? Y'all don't play tennis? Okay. I play tennis. Yeah, I play tennis.

Laughs

-I wouldn't want to come, though, 'cause I get in trouble. I'd be wanting to talk to all the girls out here. -Over here, we'll have another dormitory. It's called Rosa. It's an all-girls dormitory. Yeah, all girls. -We want our applicants to have four years of English, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry, Biology, Chemistry, and six academic electives. We ask if you've been suspended from school, if you've been convicted of a crime. But that goes into making the decision as to if you're going to come to Hampton or not. Tuition and room and board this year is $26,122. So, as you can see, the scholarship...

Indistinct conversations

-The students, they look like they was a little bit more professional, you know what I mean? They dress, they walk, and talk, like, they have this good vibe.

Indistinct conversations

-College. Mm. Being out there in the world, seeing new things. Like, in Bertie, you don't see a lot of people like that in one place. But I'm going, one day. -Right now, it's up in the air whether or not we're gonna have the Hive next year. And this happened, like, overnight, you know? One minute, we were planning for the next school year, the next minute, it was up in the air whether we were gonna have a school year. Good evening.

All

Good evening. -I've been fighting for the last two weeks. I've been -- I've been doing everything that I can. There is a possibility that we may lose the Hive. And you got to get mad. You're gonna have to get angry and let people know, "These are my babies." They -- they just as much mine as he is his mom's. I feel like anything that she would say to him, I can say it to him because he respects me, and she respects me. That's love, and that's caring. And that's what these children are not getting in the school system. You cannot allow these folks to take our program from us. -Have you heard from your dad? -No. -Not a sentence from him? He ain't called or anything? You know your dad is doing what he's doing. He's angry at your mom and he's trying to take it out on you. You know what I've taught you. You know what your mama's taught you. I don' know about your mama, she might've told you, "Punch him in the face or..." Don't listen to what Mama One says. Listen to what Mama Two said today, you know? And anytime you don't feel comfortable, you say "Ms. Saunders, let's ride." And we'll get up and bounce. -Lord God, we come today praying for this family. God, those that have no hope, give them hope today. Lord, let there not be any unneeded grieving. Let the enemy not take place in your house. I'll see all my friends In Hallelujah Square -My grandma had a heart attack. - What a wonderful time We'll have up there - We're gonna sing - We'll sing -The first time I seen my dad cry like that in front of me. - His glory to share -I wanted to go over there with him, but he had his girlfriend beside him, so... - There won't be a man - It's so hard To say goodbye -

Crying

All

- To yesterday Yeah -The Hive did not get recontracted. Because, I think, the board, as well as myself, thought that the services that the Hive provided, that we could provide them just as well, if not better, for the same or a lesser cost. -What in the world is gonna happen when I can't put my hands on these boys? Have we given them the tools to be able to survive without getting into trouble?

Indistinct conversation

All

-All right.

Indistinct chatter

All

Okay, guys, listen. -I'm gonna let it get time. It's gonna pop on. Hey. I'm saying like, what did y'all do yesterday for class work? Okay so, number eight is...2. Can you find six-Y squared and X? Y squared, raised to the third power. All right... Yeah, what's up, boy? I'll

bleep

All

you up. -David? -Yeah? -Okay. Now what we have here... E... -Realize... Realize... -I'm doing good, but I got in trouble one time, though. They caught me with a weapon. It was like a shank. -I'm gonna cut grass today,

bleep

All

it. What got you mad, you don't give me that, you don't want that

bleep

All

man, playing with it, man. Hell, man.

Indistinct conversation

All

-Huh? Yeah. -Using 10 vocabulary words, I want you to write me 10 original sentences. I won't make you do a story. -

Bleep

All

this gonna be bad. 'Cause I missed, like, 10 days with him. -Who doesn't have their list? -Me. -Me. But what is this, though? This what we got to do? This what we gonna do? Why I ain't getting able? Uh, what's the second one? Where the second one at?

Indistinct conversation

All

-So, you got to finish reading "The Devil and Tom Walker," answer critical thinking questions. God bless y'all, love you. Reggie! Reggie, Reggie. -On what? -Grown men do what grown men have to do. -Unh-unh, I can't.

Indistinct conversation

All

-On a private tour, I was passing our mechanics. I was welding the other day. That's always fun! -Wow, really? That's changed. -

Speaks indistinctly

All

We need the money, the watch, and the chain. And we cover it like this. -

Laughs

Indistinct conversation in movie

All

-I want you to jot down five times that you recall seeing dehumanization in this movie. You can do it. But do it quietly. -The teachers, they just give you the work and explain it one time and just expect you to do it. Man, I got nothing. But I don't work that fast. -Try to do this by yourself.

Indistinct conversation

All

-It's supposed to be tight, right? -You want it a little snug. Let me check your back. The back's the key. Let me see. -I want to play football. If I play football, I stay out of trouble and I'm hoping my daddy come to my games if I tell him about it.

Indistinct conversation

Whistle blows

Cheers and applause

All

Television playing indistinctly

All

-But I ain't heard nothing in here, so... Those who do see this, then I ain't got nothing to work with. Now you see it, let me... This my work, this my work. This children work. This children work. Mine's better. You see, look how -- look, though. It's not smooth. It's not smooth, and the thumb is not as smooth. It's a bunch of junk. Mine is smooth. -She's a child, so she don't know how to do it. -...a series of knees into the face of...

Television playing indistinctly

All

-You're feeling bored tonight, don't you? -Stepdad... When you got a feeling this way, your mother or your father, you sad 'cause they whoop me, you feel like you've done something wrong, and you hurt them, and you let them down. So they have to whoop me. But, after you get so many whoopings, you feel like they start liking it and you lose that feeling, the hurting and letting them down, 'cause you done got so many whoopings, and you like, "This

bleep

All

don't even hurt no

bleep

All

more." Because you whooped me so

bleep

All

much, you know what I'm saying? My biological dad, Iant to go back and see my dad. And I'll give him a chance that he didn't give me when I was small. -You can just have a seat right there. -Hey, man! How you doing, boy? -Doing good. -Doing good? -Yeah. -It's like, you know, Reggie, you got kids in the world, but you also got a bunch of kids in here. It's a lot of young kids in here that I minister to, too. When I first fell in the system, I believe you was 7 years old. I missed a lot of years with you, man. -I know. -A lot of years. This journey, it has been hard without love with us. I prayed, Lord, if you ever let my son come see me, I will worship you until the end of my days. That's all I ask. All I ever ask. And here you are, in my presence. Come here.

Crying, sniffles

All

-So, how have things been going since we last seen each other? -Good. -Good, good, good. No problems at all? -No. -That's what I want to hear. All right. Keep up the good work that you're doing, son. Good to see you. -Good to see y'all, too. -And we'll speak again tomorrow.

Telephone rings

All

-Yo, what's up, bro? What's up? Huh? So, now I'm on probation, I got 15 months. 6:00

PM to 6

00 AM, so... I keep it real with you, on my good side, but you

bleep

PM to 6

with me on my bad side, it's hell to pay. -Because he was real big and fat, and light-skinned, and they called him Butterball because he was born on Thanksgiving. And you raising your children, and you did all you could do, and they still go the other way. You just got to still pray for them. I always tell him, "Don't give up." Because he can make it. I'm not gonna put my hopes and stuff down on him about him graduating. I only told him, I say, "I know you're gonna graduate."

Indistinct conversation

PM to 6

Conversing indistinctly

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Indistinct conversations

PM to 6

-Last year, I got my report card, it said retain me. I was gonna drop out. But I just knew I couldn't go back to the 9th grade and I'm 17 already. But I called Mr. Pill, and he explained to me I only have to take one class over. And I'll just be short of a credit. And I was like, "That sounds much more better." -All right. I need you to read pages 38 to 44. And then...that. And then you give me a little bit about precise and concise. Things that would help you remember what they are, okay?

Saw whirring

PM to 6

-I just started playing football. I made the team Monday. So, I just -- you got to come pick me up. When I have practice. -That's nice, 'cause I did it. That's real nice, but that's a good sport, if you hang on to it. -If I do come stay with you, I'm gonna stay with my mama, like, on the weekdays. Come stay with you on the weekend. -Whatever you want to do, I already told you I'm fine with it. -Once he started acting like his old self, he came back around and started picking me up more often. I can talk to him about anything. Women, fights, anything. -"Dear Dad, how has it been in there? Mama got a new boyfriend. He's okay, just won't stance his way. But I don't like that 'cause I always felt like I was the man of the house, but it's okay. Mama happy, so... She says she's happy, so whatever. Until next time. Oh, yeah, and my b-day is in three more months. Don't forget to write back. Love you -- Junior."

Indistinct conversation

PM to 6

-Let's look here. I need eyes up here. I need mouths closed for directions. I need eyes up here. I need mouths closed for directions.

Speaking indistinctly

PM to 6

-I need you to go to the teachers and ask what can you make up? What can they give you to make that up yet, 'cause we don't want to wait until the last minute. -But what's the last minute? -You wait till the last minute, it's too late.

Cheering

PM to 6

-Davonte!

Cheering

Marching band playing

PM to 6

Whistle blows

PM to 6

-Ayy! Ayy! Ayy! -Run, Bee, run! -Run, boy! -Run, boy!

Whistle blows

PM to 6

-Oh! -Let's go!

Marching band playing

PM to 6

-Don't say that. Keep playing. Poor Tyrese. I wouldn't care, though! -I'm ready. Time. Time, time, time, time.

Clippers buzzing

Indistinct conversation

PM to 6

-Run the hot water, Burns. Give me a towel. -No way.

Indistinct conversations

PM to 6

-My mama don't like it when I go out, 'cause I'm on probation, but I just do it anyway. -See? You believe this? -This is my favorite clothes. Coogi coat right here. I fiercely believe that, yeah. This fitted right here go with it, so

Clicks tongue

PM to 6

I just coordinate like that. My swagger got to be me, right, everywhere I go, boy, I still got to be fresh.

Rap music playing

PM to 6

-When David go out, I worry about him all the time.

Indistinct conversations

PM to 6

Might get hurt or killed, something like that.

Conversing indistinctly

Laughter

PM to 6

-Junior, get up! -

Mutters

PM to 6

-Come on, let's go! Now! Thank you. -

Sighs

PM to 6

-All

bleep

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day. That's why your ass ain't going to

bleep

PM to 6

school. -I wasn't sleeping all day. -Well, you should've got your ass to sleep! That's what you should do at night. That's what nighttime is for. Go to sleep so you can go to school in the morning. Well, you didn't go. Why you didn't go? Well, um... -Well... -This ain't gonna work. Think we out of cigarettes. -So you could go visit him. -Ain't gonna do none of that. It's been like that for years. -Sometimes he won't go to school 'cause he'll be sleeping or he goes to school and goes to sleep in class. I am trying to help him. I've taught him manners, taught him how to be responsible, taught him that this is what life is all about. But it seem like to me I failed as a mother.

Guns cock

BBs firing

PM to 6

-Ice for you. -Hey, man, you can hit the big cans. I'll just feel like I'm lost. Around here, people know me, I know them. I feel safe in a way. I got out on my own, I got to make all new friends, though. And I can get

bleep

PM to 6

up out there.

Birds calling

Rooster crowing

PM to 6

-

Imitates rooster crow

PM to 6

-The bulls all over there. -Uh-huh. -Your daddy come home in two days, "Ki." -I know it. -You know it. You ready for your daddy to come home? Why not? -If you guys still come with me, I still go. -You ain't got to leave if you don't want to. Come on, Ki. -Mickey Mouse is on his way. My baby's on his way! There go Mickey Mouse! Lord, look at my baby! Mwah! So good to see you, boy! And look at this one. -Hey, boy! Oh! -You go see your daddy. That's where you gonna go, wherever he was at, 'cause I'm tired. -

Laughs

PM to 6

-Go see your daddy. -Okay, Daddy. -McDog! -Hey, you probably ready to fight or what? -Looking like you got some scrap. -Hey. Babe. -What?

Indistinct conversations

PM to 6

-Boy, you got big in the house, brah! -You know what you do -- How you doing? You look like Leroy. -Yeah, he keeps his hair cut. You better somewhere, boy, talking foolish about you hair. -You ain't attempt nothing. -Hey, he straight. -Yeah, he straight. I'm gonna have to talk to some people, man. Try to get something on. -Odds is against him. If you got a felony, that's -- that's gonna carry the rest of your life. Mm, I don't know. He gonna have to find something. I don't know. -What y'all doing, cuz? -Boy, that make it look like you got a beer belly. -You don't want to take none, do you? -Sure do. -Hey. -Okay, me and Mick. -Move, will you? -Come on, boy. -All right, David. What has been going on with you? What is going on with you at school? Well, congratulations. I have to, uh, do a drug screen on you this morning. Um, everything is good with you? -Yes. -Okay. Good. Okay. Okay, let's go to the restroom and get this drug screen done. -Well, this is what I done my senior project on. How much you earning, work environment. It's a working plan. I feel good about it. I made a 95, um, for presentation. Like, something like this, like doing a senior project, this my first time ever doing it. I done a great job on it. -Hey, yo, it's on you for my graduation, pussy. -Damn, man, I don't even want that. Hell no. I can't be -- I really would've been different.

Sir Edward Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance" plays

PM to 6

-You're off to great places. You're off and away. You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes, and you can steer yourselves any direction that you choose. You're on your own now, and you know what you know. And you are the one who'll decide where to go.

Cheers and applause

PM to 6

-I failed one semester. Then I was gonna fail the next semester, and I took the advice, "Stop while I was ahead." Or stop while I wasn't ahead. My car went in the slump, too. But it was an old car. I just was the one to put it out its misery. I got to -- I got to get my life together, you know what I'm saying? So... All I need is a job. If I get any type of job, I know I can make it, you know what I'm saying? -I work three jobs, yeah. I didn't make enough to pay my bills out plus have gas plus give Junior gas. Got a 20. I won $5! Ow! I won $5. You have to give medi-- Did you take the medications today? -Yeah, they do -- -Did Mr. Johnny get his today? -Yes. -Okay. Need me to cook you something to eat? -No. We ate. -Okay. Um, Pop, have a nice, um, birthday. How you doing this morning, Ms. Rosemary? -I don't know. -Today will be a better day, though. -I'm not sure. -Well, you have me. -I hope so. -You looking nice. It's growing back even and everything.

Soul music playing

PM to 6

Order up!

Indistinct conversations

PM to 6

-You got to sound it off. You got to strike it off.

Indistinct conversations

PM to 6

-Yeah, that

bleep

PM to 6

lit, boy. -Better look at that

bleep

PM to 6

-Yo, tap it. Don't tap it hard, but tap it. Make it light. -Get that

bleep

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Get that

bleep

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-Better look at that

bleep

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-That

bleep

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tipping, bud. It's coming. -Nah. Brah got to drink that beer down some more. -

Chuckles

PM to 6

That

bleep

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ain't gonna do it. It's just gonna chip off. -Got to drink it. -Still something smoking. Kidding us? -Boy, that junk about to come. -Oh, oh, oh! -Go, go, go, go, go, go! -

Laughs

PM to 6

-Get it, though! Get it, though! Get it, though! -Ooh-whee!

All cheering

PM to 6

-Yeah, boy! -Ha ha! -Get it, though! -Block squad. That's my

bleep

PM to 6

right there. -Like that

bleep

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today... -Block is our leader because he the oldest. I think he 26 or 27. -He passed you the blunt. -You did. -Most niggas -- Most niggas think it's a gang when I say the Block squad, but it ain't a gang. I consider everybody my family. I done been to his house. I done talked to his grandma. I done sat down with his grandma. -

Grunts

PM to 6

-Brah! -That actually dope as hell, brah. -Block didn't drop out. He actually finished school and got a college degree for business, so I don't know why he ain't got no job yet. I guess he -- he in the wrong neighborhood. That's how I got told. -I'm not gonna let nobody disrespect me, and I ain't gonna let nobody come at me like they going -- like they damn Tarzan and I'm a

bleep

PM to 6

bitch. It ain't gonna happen. Scared? Bring that ass. Scared!

Bell dinging, engine starts

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-I'll show you what I'ma do.

Indistinct conversations

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-Ah, cool.

Bell dinging

PM to 6

-Let's have a talk, bro.

Engine idling

PM to 6

-Hey, you can take that camera back where you got it from, homeboy. Ain't nothing going over here. You got to -- -What's good, bro? -Hey, you hear me, man? -What's good, man? -You hear what I said?

Grunting, indistinct shouting, clattering

PM to 6

-Hey, hey, hey, hey! Get the

bleep

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off him! -Yo! -What the hell, boy?! What the hell?! Cut it out! -

Shrieking

PM to 6

Hey! -Go, go, go!

Indistinct screaming, shouting

PM to 6

-Cut it out! -Hey!

Indistinct shouting

PM to 6

-Let's get the

bleep

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out of here, man! -Hey! What the hell?! -Get out of here, man. -Hey, yo. -Get the

bleep

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out of my

bleep

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yard, dawg! Hey, yo, get the

bleep

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out of my yard! -

Bleep

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that talking

bleep

Indistinct conversations

Indistinct shouting

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-I was look, "Boom! Pop! Boom! Pop! Pop!" It was on!

Indistinct chatter

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-You know what I'm saying? Had to be done. Simple as that. -Where Junior at?

Laughter

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No, you been in there fighting or something? -No. -'Cause I got a

bleep

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phone call that you and some

bleep

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boys came down there and throw somebody

bleep

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window out and that I got to pay the

bleep

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window. -You ain't got to pay nothing. -No, I want to

bleep

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know. Y'all laugh can laugh all the

bleep

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you want. I want to know if somebody came down there with Block. -We in a fight, but I told them I'm paying for the window. -Okay, then why the bitch gonna call me and tell me that she doesn't get paid? -I already talked to them. I talked to them before I left. -Okay, let me go get this bitch straight 'cause I don't have to beat this

bleep

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ass. -

Bleep

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just slapped me bare. I'ma get yo ass in a second, bro. -Okay, Davonte Helm. I heard you been smoking a little weed, boy. So... And you know I don't like that. Hanging out with wrong crowd? Is that what it is? -I don't know. -So you think you'll try it again? -Not while I'm here. -Oh, not while you're here. Oh, okay. So that means, when you get grown, you'll just do it on your own. -No, I'm just saying that I ain't gonna do it. Like...I ain't gonna never say I wouldn't do it again, but I'm just saying I'm not gonna do it now. -If that's the life you want to live, then that's on you. It wrecks the brain sooner or later. Do you believe that? Huh? -I ain't gonna smoke. -You know right from wrong. I taught you that much.

Plastic, metal clattering

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I ain't ready, but what happened, what happened. D'Niyah! D'Niyah. D'Niyah.

Dialing

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Her shoes got mostly white, so don't she need a white shirt on?...anything she asks for, just give to her. You don't like this pink shirt either. -

Crying

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-Oh, don't. Oh. don't. Shh! -

Slurping

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-Hold on, wait. Slow down. Take your time. -

Cries

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-

Singsong voice

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How's that nose?

Child singing happily on TV

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How's that nose? How's that nose? -I declared bankruptcy, and I'm losing the house. About six years ago, I took out a loan. The vehicles are broke down, and we need things for the house. So I've been struggling from here to there.

Indistinct conversations

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-Oh. -All right, guys, this is what I need y'all to do. I need the wood in a pile. I need the furniture in a pile. So y'all got me? Let's get down, and let's get to moving. -Now, you got to pick up all this up, now. -Need a garbage bag for that.

Indistinct conversations

PM to 6

-Uh, you think that's still gonna hold? -Yeah, that's gonna hold that. Uh-oh.

Bleep

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-This is a work in progress, ain't it, Dada? Can you see the house? What you see? What's your vision when we get through? -I see something big. -It gonna be nice. -Real nice. -I'm excited. I'm excited. I'm excited, excited, excited. -You got cream all over your face. -I do. -Good God. -It ain't going. -If you do like a person say you do and stop being so hardheaded. -

Clicks tongue

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I know the thing gone. I know you all in my eye. -All right, let it stay up there 'cause it's flaky. Let it stay up there. I don't know how we met. -I had moved out here from Whitakers. Went to a Bertie football game. And we started talking on the phone and everything. Then so he told me he wanted me to meet his mama. I was so nervous. Oh, my God. As soon as I came in, she was on the phone, and she was giving me the eye like... She was like, "I don't want you to hurt my son, or we gonna be fighting."

Giggles

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We been together for seven months. Yep. Seven months feel like seven years. -I'm tired of you saying that. -'Cause it feels like it. -No, it don't. They long johns. -He's sweet and respectful, and he listens and understands. -Lord have mercy. -'Cause if we don't push each other, then we're not gonna make it in the world.

Indistinct conversations

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We want to travel the world, go somewhere different. -You don't want to be living with your mama forever. -Mm-mmm! -Mm-mmm! -Mm-hmm. -I moved out my mom's because her new boyfriend, he -- he talks too much. He got too much mouth. We don't get along. So I moved in with my grandpa. Who wants to say -- Would you honestly say, "Oh, cameraman, I had to move out of my house 'cause I didn't have enough money and move in with my grandpa"? Like, who wants to say that? You got to remember billions of people is gonna look at this, and everybody is gonna have their opinion. And at the same time, I'm a

bleep

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man, and I don't want to ever be looked down on -- ever. I'ma do something good in life no matter what.

Indistinct conversations

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-Hey, Reggie. Reggie, take your do-rag off, sweetheart. Huh? Well, then you can't wear it -- Let me see. Let me judge for myself. Let me judge for myself. Your hair fine, Reggie. -No, it's not. -Yes, it is. Put it in your pocket. -Yes, ma'am. -Put it in your pocket. -So, when did you stop going to school? When did you drop out of school? -About a year ago. -A year ago? -First step, "Reg," you got to get a GED, something. -Yeah. -You're too smart just to be sitting around just

Mockingly

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chilling. -Drinking. -

Normal voice

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Yeah, I mean, you know the deal. -It's gonna come. -It's only gonna come if you make it come. Ain't nobody gonna give it to you.

Cheers and applause

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-Hey, y'all. -Hey, there! -How y'all doing? -Fine. -Let me tell you, this is not my place. This belongs to you. This is your place. You know, it's the community's place. It's my neighbors' -- Hey, neighbors! How you doing? It's my neighbors' place. So it's gonna take the entire village to keep it safe. -All right, say, "Hive." -Hive! Hive! -All right. On three. One, two, three! -There you go. -Hey!

Children shouting indistinctly

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-My dad's supposed to be buying me shoes for prom, but I'm having trouble trying to get in touch with him. Hello. -Where you at? -I'm at the park, Dad. -What park? -Windsor Park. -All right.

Rooster crows

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-What he say? -He on his way here to bring some money. And listen to the lies he about to say. -Shh! That's your father. Still got to respect him. -How y'all doing? -Hey. -Hey. So she got it? -Yeah, she got it 'cause I know I would leave. What -- Um, what time you supposed to be, um, doing that thing tomorrow? -8:00. -In the morning? -Mm. -Just come out there and see your kid. -Okay. Mm. Well... I'll see y'all tomorrow. -So sad.

TV playing indistinctly

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Indistinct shouting, cheering

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Hip-hop music plays

Crowd cheering

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-Ms. Kadeja Peoples, escorted by Mr. Davonte Helm.

Cheers and applause

Hip-hop music plays

Indistinct conversations

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-I got a job at a pork-processing plant in Virginia. Takes like two hours to get to work, but I can bring home anywhere from $400 to $500 a week.

Smooching

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-Not in front of the camera. -Huh? -

Laughs

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-Oh

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I didn't even see that. -Where you going?

Rap playing indistinctly on radio

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-When I first met her, she came out of church. She had on high heels. She was just flawless, like an angel walking out, and I was like, "Yeah." -He give me a ring. I didn't know what to think. Junior, Junior, Junior. He my little sweetheart.

Chuckles

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I love him.

Laughs

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-You know. -

Laughs

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-I been going out with her for six months. -Thank you. -Lookit, that look good. -I done pour it now. -I'ma double dip. Thing I like about Tomekia is...

Game plays "A Pirate's Life for Me"

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There's several. -Yeah. I want that one there. -I know. Got to check the timing.

Whistle!

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That was

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up. I'ma just go for this gray one.

Game plays "A Pirate's Life for Me"

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I been doing what I want since I was about 14. You can only imagine how many girlfriends I had, how many people I done fought. But with her, it's like I'm 14 all over again. Anybody that can make me feel that young and that -- and that good in the heart, and I know that she love me.

Whistle!

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Aw, for real?

Game plays "A Pirate's Life for Me"

PM to 6

This how it's gonna break. I knew it. You can't get it. -It crumble and fall. -Yeah, it come up all stupid fast. You bastard. Let me get one more dollar, babe. I'll try one more time. Nah, we done gave this thing $4.

Bleep

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that thing.

Sighs

Game plays "A Pirate's Life for Me"

Whistle!

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See? That's

bleep

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Go on and take that

bleep

Bell rings

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-Graduation, graduation, graduation. He made it through. Proud mama I am.

TV playing indistinctly

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-I already know I'm not gonna see my brother for the next 17 years, so what's the need to keep talking about? I'd rather forget about it. I'll see him when I see him.

Indistinct shouting

Crowd cheering

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-

Laughs

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-Bertie will always be your home. This community is prepared to make sure that there are jobs here for you to come back to once you have gone away to school and become skilled. Davonte Shakim Helm.

Crowd cheering

Cheering intensifies

PM to 6

-So, you want to be a barber, huh? -Yes, sir. -All right. -Once you start cutting hair, you get to meeting people, expressing yourself more, and seeing more things, like, "You thought you was going through this? I'm going through the same thing." -Those are school clothes. My little girl, D'Niyah, four years old. But I don't know when she coming back to stay with me... so my little girl know who her daddy is, who her father is. I work six days a week now. I got child support and bills to pay for. -When we go in, we're gonna go in in a single-file line. If you want to talk, you got to raise your hand. -This way. -We about to get a 50-cent raise, so instead of me making $13-something an hour, I'll be making, um, probably $14. -You gonna be a good dad. -I know I'm gonna be a dad, bae, 'cause, I mean, I want to be there for my child. You know how...

TV playing indistinctly

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- At 2nd and 12, two lions were born Into a jungle, there was one not of their own You learn to adapt, and both of you've grown Oh, oh, oh But you're in a world that doesn't love you like its own Don't grow afraid, don't lose heart You were designed to play a part To be a man that can be used for light and da-a-rk Oh, baby brother, baby brother I love you, but you gotta love yourself and others