YouthSpark is a non-profit organization that’s helps Fulton County teens who have experienced child or sexual abuse in their life in order to get them to have a better life. VOX ATL visited YouthSpark to ask the girls about crisis and what it meant to them and at the end of our session a few of them wanted to share their thoughts and experiences on paper through writing and art.

Advice I Would Tell Another Teen

If I were in a situation where I have to give good advice to a teen, I would tell them that there is nothing more important than your own happiness. If it don’t make you smile or be in a good mood it’s not worth wasting time on or retaliating. Be comfortable with who you are and always find a happy place. Through whatever, wherever and however — as long as you’re still living.

– J.T.

What’s something you love about yourself?

Hmm, great question. The things I love about myself: no matter what comes my way I tend to face the problem. I help others when needed. It’s not always about being sad; it’s about how you take it and make the best of anything. I don’t ever give up. Keep it pushing. Oh, yeah, I fail a couple times — that doesn’t stop me. I can be myself around other people. Haters going to always hate. They [are] your biggest fan.

– Contesnia

Dear Person Who Hurt Me,

I would like to say thank you. Thank you for making me find the bad in every new person I meet. Thank you for making me doubt every decision I make. Thanks for making me do things with my body that’ll I’ll never get to take back. Thanks for making me hate who I was for a long time. All the things that you did to me or all these feelings you made me feel helped me become who I am today. Sometimes I still think about you and the things you did to me. How you graduated from school on time and went about your business while I had to leave school for an entire year because of you. You took so much of me, but not all of me. I still get to smile, I’m so much better now. I’m not so angry all the time. I feel so strong. So once again, thank you because you made me feel stronger than ever and now I feel sorry for you instead of myself.

Sincerely,

Your “victim”

Whose name is Carnesia

A Change in ATL

I would like to see the community change by besides spending taxpayers’ money by building detention facilities for their kids and start building Boys and Girls Clubs. Build things that will help keep kids out of trouble. I would like for the kids to be more excited about learning and for the teachers to be more willing to teach. I would like for everyone to work together, other than knocking what people don’t know.

By Mauri

Something I Love About Myself

I’m always laughing. I always make the best out of things. I speak my mind. I’m very pretty. I’m smart. I’m intelligent. I’m outgoing. I’m a daredevil. I like challenges. I am very athletic.

By Name Withheld

This piece was compiled by Toyin who is 16 and attends Tri-Cities High School.