life in east st. louis

Day after day seem like the same events over and over. I only wish there was some way my family and I could get out of here and start to improve our lives. Many days I wake up and do not know the purpose of going out or why I should even try. I want to know if there is any way to get out of this town and settle somewhere cleaner where my family can be safe. I do not understand how our city is overlooked by the state. We could use so much support with the conditions we have.
The way our city is overlooked makes me feel as though people do not even know we exist. Our town does not even receive basic public services. And school might as well be a waste of time. When we actually have the teachers, the supplies and materials that we use are in poor condition and hardly get the job done. The school building is in terrible condition and the new building cannot even be used. On my way to school I see the wastes that lay in the street day after day. I never know it if I will make it to and from because of the crime that happens around here all the time. I have seen terrible things happen around here for my entire life. These crimes have almost become the norm and are expected to be seen quite frequently.
I try to make myself feel better by believing it cannot get any worse than it is now. The truth is I don’t know how it could get any worse around here. Death is common in this town and everyone has become familiar with it. Most families have felt the pain of losing a loved one. I worry about when I am not with my family if I will see them again or if they are alright.
I realize literacy is important to most people but around East St. Louis it isn’t considered greatly important. Many people don’t know if they believe they will be alive long enough for literacy to effect their lives. Literacy and education are considered a waste of time to many. Many of my fellow students don’t know why they still go to school. We think it’s time we try to find work to help our families. None of the stuff we learn seems to change how our lives will go or end.