CHELSEA

JOSE (PEPE)

JOTHAM

LAUREN

LONNIE

MIKE

NAOMI

RHONESHA

SAMANTHA

VAHE

The Person Behind the Face:

To start as a young girl born in Haward and raised in Oakland, it's funny how just one week of my life could give me a whole different thought about the world. Through life you pick up little things that you want to keep with you along the way, and this week will be with me forever.

For the rest of my five days here I would like to be taught more about my surroundings and how to be aware of the things around. Being out here puts you in a different state of mind. I feel like a new person. When I leave I will try very hard to keep this frame of mind and not be sucked back into the stereotypes of the city. While I'm here I want to just inhale all of this, love all of this, and be all of this, because it is us. We are the world's; the world isn't ours.

Letter to Self

After this grand experience of wilderness you should have a lot to remember. First you can't forget the way you felt when you took your first deep breath of fresh air. Why did it bring such a different spirit to your body? Even though it was cold outside you were always warm inside. Maybe that was because you were constantly surrounded by these large, deep red Sequoia trees, that have never been captured by the eye of the city. Is that because we choose to to Kodak these moments or because we have all been selfishly forced to live life with a rusted chrome blindfold over our eyes? Being in Yosemite forced your eyes open. Open to the world. And open to life.

"The first night here was great. It seemed like a whole different world; so opposite from the city life.

was even more beautiful. The sunlight brought everything to life. I've seen new aspects about Yosemite that I haven't before. From the snow-topped mountains to the crisp, fresh air, as far as I was concerned, I was in heaven!

Wilderness Lyrics

When I holla at you, playa, I want you to feel me,

put your ears near me

so I could game you on Yosemite, cuz

smoke out the chimney from a cast iron fire,

snow pants and snow shoes is our attire,

It's cold and we all tired,

but like J-kiss we all gonne make it,

we gangsta's and we can't fake,

appreciating nature is how we take it or bake it

like pita bread, or tuna and macaroni,

in the nature you never own me,

telling y'all, I'm never feeling lonely,

slowly, I'm getting used to this bit after bit,

but I gotta finish this

now I'm done so please don't dis.