All Day

by Liza Jessie Peterson

  Krishan aka Freddy Krueger (wink and smile). Thank you for believing in my voice from day one at the Schomburg library with a raggedy journal and Post-its.

  Carol and Adrienne, your guidance, wisdom, and patience helping me navigate all this has been tremendous. I’ve grown so much and learned a lot. Thank you for honoring my voice. Much more to follow…

  To every teacher, social worker, youth advocate, and CO with a conscience, I salute you all for your selfless, rarely recognized, underappreciated, astronomical efforts and sacrifice to educate, heal, guide, and save our youth. I see you. Keep pushing; it’s making a difference despite appearances to the contrary. We need you!

  Shout out from Ms. P aka Sista Liza to all my shorty-roc teenage-rug-rat, loud-mouthed, hard-headed, snarky kids I taught, laughed with, cried with, yelled at, and kicked it with. I can’t even begin to articulate just what you have meant and continue to mean to my life. Y’all keep me growing, learning, and showing up with purpose. I believe in you. I want y’all to win. Remember your ancestors and history. Bang against this beast by any means necessary. We need you. You’re very necessary.

  To my super ninja, homegurl, sista gurl, pot-stirring, shit-talking, loud-laughing saloon broads from Brooklyn to Philly, y’all give me life and sanity… I love y’all so much.

  To my close circle of brilliant writer-artist-poet crew of creatives, thank you for keeping my blade sharp and for your loving, constructive advice, pulling my coat when my slip was showing. You inspire me and keep me reaching for excellence.

  BBP aka Akh you already know the blessing you are to me. You always had my back. Nothing to say but The Creator linked us up, lovely. What a divine journey. Love and light, QSL aka Lucy.

  To my boo… I’m walking loud, baby.

  Rikers Rug Rat Slang

  Banger: in jail, a shank or a sharp weapon; on the streets, a gun.

  Bing: punitive segregation or solitary confinement at Rikers Island; also called the hole or the box.

  Booster: a person who steals items and sells the goods on the black market.

  Burner: a gun.

  Cali or Caliente: Spanish for “making it hot,” bringing unnecessary attention to a situation, usually from an authority figure.

  Catch a body or Have bodies: to be incarcerated for murder; to have murdered someone.

  City Year: the eight months an inmate serves under a twelve-month sentence. For every thirty days of an inmate’s incarceration, ten days are reduced from their sentence. These ten days are considered “good days” or “good time.” For example, an inmate sentenced to thirty days in jail will actually serve twenty days; an inmate sentenced to one year will serve eight months.

  CO: correctional officer

  Commissary: the jailhouse general store where snacks, toiletries, and goods are purchased.

  Commo: short for commissary.

  Crab: slur; what Bloods call Crips as an insult.

  Crib: the housing area for inmates.

  Criminal mischief: committing acts of vandalism, graffiti, or destruction of property.

  Cypher: a term used in hip hop to denote a circle of freestyle rap artists taking turns “spitting” or rhyming.

  Deebo: to take or snatch something from someone without permission and in an aggressive way; a person or bully who has deeboed something, simply taking what he or she wants from a victim. Deebo was the name of the large, menacing character in the film Friday who was so intimidating and scary-looking that he was able to take what he wanted from whomever he wanted without a fight.

  Doja: synonym for pop-off dummy (POD); a follower on the team or within a group. The doja (like the POD) is the low man on the totem pole who does the bidding or fighting for others with higher rank in the crew or group.

  Drop your flag: to quit the gang. The flag, represented by a specific-colored bandana, is what gang members proudly wear. To drop the flag means to give up your gang status. It can sometimes have dangerous or deadly consequences.

  Esophagus: “Swallow it” or “Shut up.”

  Floss: to be fashionable; looking fancy and fly.

  Food: a weak kid who is preyed upon for easy extortion and gets “eaten up” like food by the stronger members.

  Get light: a specific Harlem shake dance routine where the shoulders move in a syncopated rhythm; it’s a frenzied tribal-like praise dance that has a specific accompanying handclap done by the audience/onlookers.

  Get money: the literal sense—to acquire cash or enhance one’s ability to spend; also to masturbate.

  Good days: the ten-day reduction in the duration of an inmate’s actual sentence for every thirty days served.

  Greens: the adult inmate population at Rikers, who wear dark green uniforms to distinguish them from the adolescents, who wear light beige.

  Hang up: to commit suicide.

  Herb: a cornball, a nerd, a square; usually a nonfighter who is seen as weak.

  House or Housing area: synonym for crib; the area where inmates are housed and kept; the dorm area; the cells.

  Infraction: a ticket; a recorded incident of an inmate for a violation of a prison rule. An infraction can result in the forfeiting of “good days.” If the offense is serious, the infraction can result in a new criminal charge and the inmate being rearrested.

  Juvie: juvenile detention.

  Knocked or Bagged: to be caught by the police and locked up.

  Making it hot: bringing unwanted attention to a situation from an authority, usually from a correctional officer (CO) or teacher; creating a scene that could bring trouble; caliente.

  MO: inmates at Rikers under mental observation; crazy.

  Obamas: the most recent state-issued slip-on kung fu–style sneakers that are black canvas with thin white rubber soles.

  OG: Original Gangster, an older street player with experience and rank; the leader of the gang.

  Patakis: official name and synonym for “pumpkin seeds,” the bright neon orange, state-issued canvas slip-on sneakers named after former governor George Pataki.

  PC: protective custody; where an inmate is separated from the general population for their own protection.

  Plea deal: in criminal proceedings, where the district attorney will offer the defendant a lesser sentence if the defendant agrees to plead guilty to the charge and waives their right to a trial.

  Pop-off dummy (POD): the kid who fights battles for a particular set or team. He is willing to take the blame for the “boss” or “OG” in the group. He does this for inclusion and to receive fringe benefits from the group, relating possibly to extra purchase power at the commissary or to obtaining heightened protection by the particular set or team from physical harm by others.

  Pumpkin seeds: state-issued kung fu–style slip-on canvas sneakers. They are bright neon orange in color, like a pumpkin, and shaped like a seed; also called Patakis.

  Rock, the: a synonym for Rikers Island that was borrowed from the nickname for Alcatraz, which had the appearance of being a giant “rock” on an island. Like Alcatraz, Rikers is on an island, located in New York’s East River.

  Scrap: homeboy; a term of endearment.

  Set: the group of homies you roll with and pay allegiance to; your posse, usually from a gang.

  730: legal term for classification of mental instability; a lawyer for a criminal defendant must file a 730 motion to receive a psychiatric evaluation to determine if the defendant is mentally fit to stand trial.

  Slob: slur; what Crips call Bloods as an insult.

  Spinning: when your hair displays visible waves.

  Taking your peanut butter: to be raped by a man; forced sodomy.

  Team: synonym for “set”; the group of homies you roll with and pay allegiance to; your posse.

  Throwing batteries: to instigate someone to get pumped up to fight; to charge someone up with energy and give them courage; getting someone to do something they wouldn’t normally do. A battery can have a positive or negative effect, depending on the situation.
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  Tight: to be angry or pissed off; wound tight with rage.

  Toaster: a gun.

  Turn it up: to make it hot; to fight; to become hostile and belligerent.

  Turtles: the riot squad at Rikers Island. The correctional officers’ riot gear resembles the paraphernalia of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters from the iconic children’s television show, with all-black helmets and armored vests.

  Up top: refers to the plethora of prisons located out of the city limits, in upstate New York.

  Washed: to get beat up, tossed around, and pummeled, like being in a washing machine.

  Wavy: cool; hip.

  YG: young gangster; the younger generation of an OG.

  “In a very real voice, Liza Jessie Peterson recounts her days teaching young men imprisoned on Rikers Island awaiting trial. She switches between her streetwise motherly voice to the voices and inner thoughts of young men struggling to maintain identity, dignity, credibility, and sanity. Her interactions with them and theirs with one another are both heart wrenching and chilling at the same time. She peels back layer upon layer of these kids’ reality and exposes the humanity and vulnerability of young men who are scared, beautiful, and dangerous. Liza also finds insights into herself about how to truly make a difference in the lives of children lost in the matrix.”

  —Danny Simmons, painter, and executive producer of Def Poetry Jam

  “This remarkable work of witness, testimony, and empathy by Liza Jessie Peterson is a literary gift that could not be more precipitous. We seem to be reminded, nearly weekly now, of how disposable and hated young Black men are by powerful sectors of this society. Peterson challenges us to see and feel beyond dangerous tabloid stereotypes. This feat she accomplishes with exquisitely flowing, pungent prose. ALL DAY is a generous bouquet of hip, laconic storytelling informed by big-sisterly love and a compulsion for social justice.”

  —Greg Tate, author of Flyboy in the Buttermilk and Everything but the Burden

  “Liza Jessie Peterson speaks the recipe of all of our freedom into existence. And magnificently so!”

  —asha bandele, author of The Prisoner’s Wife

  “Liza Jessie Peterson has captured the essence, the humor, the intellect, and the psychology of the lives of young people (especially young Black men) trying to survive in the penal systems of America. I was captivated by the characters. I could see them, smell their musk, feel their attitudes, and hear their voices to a point where I felt I knew them and would recognize any one of them if I bumped into them on the street. The stories, the characters, the talent, the conflicts, and the love are all there with a message: There must be a better way to raise our youth who have gone astray than to warehouse them in penal institutions. ALL DAY is a must-read for anyone who cares about children and believes in the possibilities that arise from affording them the opportunity to have the brightest of futures.”

  —Abiodun Oyewole, founding member of The Last Poets, author of Branches of the Tree of Life

  “ALL DAY is a gem, an honest look at our all-too-often-forgotten youth. Liza Jessie Peterson takes us on this journey in a way that only she can, holding up a mirror and forcing us see what we are allowing our fellow citizens to go through. Her journey is as remarkable as the way in which this book was crafted. It’s truly a must read.”

  —D. Watkins, author of The Cook Up

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  * Rock : a synonym for Rikers Island that was borrowed from the nickname used for Alcatraz, which had the appearance of being a giant “rock” on an island. Like Alcatraz, Rikers is on an island, located in New York’s East River.

  * City Year : the eight months an inmate serves under a twelve-month sentence. For every thirty days of an inmate’s incarceration, ten days are reduced from their sentence. These ten days are considered “good days” or “good time.” For example, an inmate sentenced to thirty days in jail will actually serve twenty days; an inmate sentenced to one year will serve eight months.

  * Plea deal : in criminal proceedings, where the district attorney will offer the defendant a lesser sentence if the defendant agrees to plead guilty to the charge and waives their right to a trial.

  † Criminal mischief : committing acts of vandalism, graffiti, or destruction of property.

  * Booster : a person who steals items and sells the goods on the black market.

  * Patakis : official name and synonym for “pumpkin seeds,” the bright neon orange, state-issued canvas slip-on sneakers named after former governor George Pataki.

  † Pumpkin seeds : state-issued kung fu–style slip-on canvas sneakers. They are bright neon orange in color, like a pumpkin, and shaped like a seed; also called Patakis.

  * House or housing area : synonym for crib; the area where inmates are housed and kept; the open dorm-style area; cells.

  * Commissary : the jailhouse general store where snacks, toiletries, and goods are purchased.

  † Commo : short for commissary.

  * Wavy : synonym for cool and hip.

  * Making it hot : bringing unwanted attention to a situation from an authority, usually from a CO or teacher; creating a scene that could bring trouble; caliente.

  * Turn it up : to make it hot; to fight; to become hostile and belligerent.

  * Cypher : a term used in hip hop to denote a circle of freestyle rap artists taking turns “spitting” or rhyming.

  * Herb : a cornball; a nerd; a square; usually a nonfighter who is seen as weak.

  † OG : Original Gangster; an older street player with experience and rank; the leader of the gang.

  ‡ Doja : synonym for pop-off dummy (POD), a follower in the team or group. The doja (like the POD) is the low man on the totem pole who does the bidding or fighting for others with higher rank in the crew or group.

  * Pop-off dummy (POD) : the kid who fights battles, or “pops off,” for a particular set or team. He is willing to take the blame for the “boss” or “OG” in the group. He does this for inclusion and to receive fringe benefits from the group, relating possibly to extra purchase power at the commissary or to obtain heightened protection by the particular set or team from physical harm by others.

  † Food : a weak kid who is preyed upon for easy extortion and gets “eaten up” like food by the stronger members.

  ‡ Team : synonym for “set.” The group of homies you roll with and pay allegiance to; your posse.

  * Knocked or bagged : to be caught by the police and locked up.

  * Infraction : a ticket; a recorded incident of an inmate for a violation of a prison rule. An infraction can result in the forfeiting of “good days.” If the offense is serious, the infraction can result in a new criminal charge and the inmate being rearrested.

  * Throwing batteries : to instigate someone to get pumped up to fight; to charge someone up with energy and give them courage; getting someone to do something they wouldn’t normally do. A battery can have a positive or negative effect, depending on the situation.

  * Scrap : homeboy; a term of endearment.

  * Juvie : juvenile detention.

  * Washed : to get beat up, tossed around, and pummeled, like being in a washing machine.

  * Cali or caliente : Spanish for “making it hot,” bringing unnecessary attention to a situation, usually from an authority figure.

  † MO : inmates at Rikers under mental observation; synonym for crazy.

  * Spinning : when your hair displays visible waves.

  * Catch a body/have bodies : to be incarcerated for murder; to have murdered someone.

  * Up top : refers to the plethora of prisons located out of the city limits, in upstate New York.

  † Bing/the bing : punitive segregation or solitary confinement at Rikers Island; also
called the hole or the box.

  ‡ Taking your peanut butter : to be raped by a man; forced sodomy.

  * Good days : the ten-day reduction in the duration of an inmate’s actual sentence for every thirty days served.

  * Get light : a specific Harlem shake dance routine where the shoulders move in a syncopated rhythm; it’s a frenzied tribal-like praise dance that has a specific accompanying handclap done by the audience/onlookers.

  * Turtles : the riot squad at Rikers Island. The correctional officers’ riot gear resembles the paraphernalia of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters from the iconic children’s television show, with all-black helmets and armored vests.

  * Banger : in jail, a shank or a sharp weapon; on the streets, a gun.

  * 730 : legal term for classification of mental instability; a lawyer for a criminal defendant must file a 730 motion to receive a psychiatric evaluation to determine if a defendant is mentally fit to stand trial.

  * Greens : the adult inmate population at Rikers, who wear dark green uniforms to distinguish them from the adolescents, who wear light beige.

  * Drop your flag : to quit the gang. The flag, represented by a specific-colored bandana, is what gang members proudly wear. To drop the flag means to give up your gang status. It can sometimes have dangerous or deadly consequences.

  * Slob : slur; what Crips call Bloods as a disrespect.

  * Set: the group of homies you roll with and pay allegiance to; your posse, usually from a gang.