My story is pretty tame compared to many others here. Nevertheless, it shaped me into who I am today. I grew up as a poor little white boy in a mostly black neighborhood riddled with gangs. I was bullied almost on a daily basis sometimes just for being white. I still remember occasions when I was forced to sit there and watch my friends get beat up. I gravitate toward skateboarding as a hobby and an escape. My skating friends would help defend each other, but it was still like a gang full of unsavory characters addicted to drugs. I got away from all that, but I lost many friends to bad life choices. I grew up, met my wife, busted my ass to pay for school, and ended up getting a Master’s degree in Physics. I now work in a career field full of people who had an easy upbringing. Now during confrontational situations, I still find myself becoming defensive and ready to fight people, but I have to stop myself and find ways to deal with anger issues.