After years of standing for morning counts, my body is trained to wake up about 5:35am. Laid back on my steel bottom bunk with my head faced right, I scouted the ten bunks ahead of my end bunk. Minus different rhythms of snoring, most of the guys were asleep like newborn babies. I shifted my head center and rested my chin on my chest to watch a 13″ TV. Processing my country’s involvement in the Israel-Iran war, I closed my eyes and began thanking God for another day.

Months after my Aunt Sylvia died in 2023, my brother, JeMario, was fatally shot. I experienced drug addiction for the first time at 35. Emotionally scarred by my painful loses, I began numbing my pain with buprenorphine (suboxone). I fell into a deep darkness of horror, and I was lost with a 1,000 lb anchor chained to my hands and feet.

By Latif Torres-Robinson and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

While Fentanyl continues to linger in our country’s most vulnerable neighborhoods, it is imperative that we work together to protect our precious little ones. Due to the high volume of accessibility, it’s not a matter of IF your child is offered a pill laced with fentanyl — it’s a matter of WHEN. To help reduce your child’s risk of a fentanyl overdose, please talk to your child about the deadliest drug in America.

As I continue to carefully assess which party exemplifies my political interests, there has been a string of events that has fueled my distrust in the Democratic sector.

For more transparency of the matter, I am highly disappointed with Mr. Biden’s dark list of pardons. I don’t oppose to second chances, of course, but I largely disagree with him commuting the death sentences of convicted serial killers–that’s completely absurd. I neither agree with Biden’s ridiculous act of granting clemency to the “Kids for Cash” mastermind, nor the woman who embezzled tens of millions from her employer.

If I were to tell you that I never felt like quitting, I would be lying through the hair-thin crevices of my teeth.

The writing world is overwhelmed with writers who are striving to break into the competitive book industry. Waiting is common for writers, especially children authors. Regardless if it’s one day or one year, in my experience, the waiting game for writers is frustratingly exhausting. Writing can be hard at times. The pursuit of getting work published is even harder. Anticipating the flourishing of planted seeds is undoubtedly the hardest.

On several occasions within the past few months, people have asked me if I am Republican. Perhaps my enthusiastic appraisal of Donald Trump’s presidential victory may be the reason. I also acknowledge how my pro-Trump statements may demonstrate far right behavior; however, I hope my consistent support for the United States of America’s 45th and 47th President doesn’t necessarily reflect the overall social values or political principles in which I stand.

Moreover, in response to the growing questions, yes, I am absolutely certain of a future in governmental politics. Despite years of studying the infrastructure of political ordinance, though, I have yet come to a solid decision as for which party I want to join. However, I am officially announcing that I will be running for a public electoral seat (preferably delegate, senator or mayor) soon after the restoration of my voting rights.

“If you don’t give me my money by the end of tonight, I’m gonna beat your a@#,” was the warning from a guy who was owed $3.00.

I was annoyed by the angry man’s threat. I didn’t understand, as I probably would’ve when I was an ignorant boy, how people could become violent over something so small, and was likely accumulated illegally. I was not the least surprised. In my 19 years of incarceration, stagnating individuals making bad, senseless decisions is steadily prevalent in prison.

Did you know Donald Trump will be only the second president to serve nonconsecutive terms? Now that we’ve voted Trump to be our 47th president, it’s an interesting question as to why he wasn’t reelected in 2020. Did Biden really … never mind.

When Joe Biden took over America’s highest office in 2020, arguably the most powerful country in the world has been taunted by smaller countries and threatened economically.

“Look, baby, I need some money. You need to figure out something,” was Tee-Tee’s heartless statement that lingered in my head.

Later on that evening, I met up with my best friend, C, at a gas station that sat on the corner of 17th Street and East Broad Street. Like most nights down Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom, the old, historic streets were busy with people fixing to catch a buzz and have a good, adult time. The street lights blended in with colorful neon signs that substituted the retired sun. It was a warm, friendly vibe.

“I like you and you’re a good guy, Latif, but my daughter is no good. Leave her alone before you end up in some mess,” was the collaborate warning I got from my then-girlfriend’s mother and sister.

I didn’t listen.

Months after I had run away from home at 17. I met a beautiful 29 years old woman name Latisha Cosby. Unable to seek employment because of my situation, I worked under the table and sold cocaine. Through my initial perspective, Latisha was a hustler’s wife – the kind of woman you read about in an urban or street lit novel. We began dating, and of course, I moved in with her.

In God I Trust

For years on top of years, I have tried to venture my life’s journey without God’s total involvement. How foolish, right?! Better yet, how human of me to think I would fulfill my purpose without God leading the way?! How ignorant was I?! If I am a part of God’s plan, how the heck could I do anything worthy of Him without Him?!

God has been the pioneer of my 180. If it wasn’t for God loving me the way He does, I probably wouldn’t be here to share this Uncut Truth with you. God saved me. God forgave me. God healed me. And God blessed me. So if there’s anyone who deserves credit for my turnaround, it’s without a doubt my Lord, Christ, and Savior.