For Ahkeem (2017) - full transcript

Mum...

It's time.

Don't be afraid.

I'm always scared and afraid.

You is?

Yeah.

I just don't know
what they gonna say.

Come on, Boonie.

Do y'all hear that bus?

Yep, it's right there.

I'm so nervous man,
I swear to God.



Are you nervous?

I just don't want them
to put me out of school.

The Lord is my shepherd
I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down
in green pastures

He leadeth me
beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul.

He leadeth me in
the path of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death

I will fear no evil
for thou art with me.

Surely goodness and mercy

shall follow me
all the days of my life

and I will dwell in the house
of the Lord forever.

- Amen.
- Amen.



All rise.

You may be seated.

Daje Shelton,
come up here please.

You standing in my courtroom,
in an adult courtroom

and I'm getting ready to make
a decision about your life.

And if I decide to lock you up

your mama can't even
make a bond for you.

But you want to fight.

Because somebody said
something about you.

How silly is that?

How old are you now?

Seventeen.

- What grade are you in?
- 11th.

Alright.
This is serious.

You won't be able to go to another
public school in the state of Missouri.

What?

That's where we are.

So her grades and attendance
don't count for anything?

Her grades and attendance

mean a whole lot to me.

And you're not even a bad kid.

That's what I'm saying,
so why...

I know you're not a bad kid.

And that's the reason
I opened the school.

I'ma recommend
that you go to ICA

a high school for people that have these
chronic problems of getting in fights.

ICA is the only option that
the school board really has

in terms of me dealing
with these types of offenses.

I ain't... I don't need that.

I'm alright.

That's the only option
to get your high school diploma.

- Can I please say something?
- Yes, ma'am.

I will make sure that
she do what she supposed to do

if you would please
have mercy on her.

No more options.

No more options.

There are zero options left.

Either you make it with me

or you don't make it at all.

I ain't never been this mad
in my life, straight up.

I'm hella mad.

What college finna accept me
from an alternative school?

You can go to college off a GED.

You smart enough to get
that much just like that.

I don't... a GED is different
from a high school diploma.

What job I'ma get with that?

What college
I'ma go to with that?

I care about school.

I don't care about
this little stupid stuff.

I don't have time to instigate.

I'm a junior.
I'm a junior!

I'm finna be
a senior next year

Y'all think I got time
to be doing all that? No.

- You supposed to go on about your business.
- I mean, Mama, come on, Mama.

That ain't enough to keep me
in no school like that.

Ain't no other school
for you to go to.

I know you don't want
to grow up around here.

Don't go in there
with no attitude.

Go in there like
you got some sense

'cause they not playing.

They already got
everything they need.

He a judge.

He a principal.

And they can
shoot you down real quick.

Tell you you gotta
go to juvenile.

- And what am I gonna do?
- Uh-uh, I ain't going to juvenile.

They can do
whatever they want to do.

So you go in there mouthing off,
and he get mad enough to where

"Oh, you too smart.
Well, here you go, juvenile."

You know what I'm saying?
You don't need none of that.

We don't need none of that
in our life right now.

October 10, 2013.

They had a whole courtroom
in there.

My mama was crying.

I just felt like
I was letting her down

'cause I got to go
to an alternative school.

She did everything
she could for me.

I just want to make her proud.

Good morning.

Don't ever do that again,
you hear me?

You hear me?

Okay.

Alright, let's go.

Let's go, sweetheart.
You ain't got time.

You got less than
three minutes now.

And you want to wait and talk.

My class, lets go, in this room.

Alright, here we go!

Pay attention!

Everybody sit up and act
like you got some sense.

Everybody sit up straight.

This is not a game.

I just finished an 18-year-old

that I'ma send him
to the penitentiary

for the rest of his life.

He's gonna die in prison.

I'm tired of it.

Let me ask you guys a question.

Do you all think

that you all are the worst kids

in the entire
United States of America?

- No.
- No.

You know what bothers me?

Black kids in Missouri

get suspended and expelled
from school

more than any kid

in the whole
United States of America.

That's in all 50 states.

This is real.

And let me go further.

At the elementary school level

nine-year-old kids,
ten-year-old kids eleven-year-old kids

31% were suspended.

They were black kids, man.

I'm frustrated.

I'm frustrated.

I'm trying to keep you out
of the system.

The reason we have this school

is to keep you out
of the system

not put you in the system.

It's not a game.

Think I messed up, a lot.

As far as that goes

I'm not even mad about that.

I want you to keep on going
to school no matter what.

I want you to go
with a positive thinking.

I can't.
I can't do that.

- Okay, well...
- I'm telling you now.

- I can't do it.
- You still got to go.

You still have to continue
your education.

Because I don't want you
to get comfortable

around here in this house
and thinking that

this neighborhood and the things
that are around here

is the way of life,
and it's not.

It's so much bigger
and better things out here

you wouldn't even believe it.

You would not believe

you step off this block and
might see something different.

Mama, what you want to do
in the future?

- What I like to do?
- What'd you like to do?

- What do I like to do?
- Cook?

- So you know what I want to do.
- You want to be a cook?

- No.
- You want to open a restaurant?

Yeah.
Own my own restaurant.

Ooh, soul food?

- Everything, all foods.
- Everything?

You sure can cook.

I don't see that happening.

Come on.

Be quiet though, TJ.

Come on, let's go to the store,
get some candy.

Be quiet.

Look at your face
when you crying.

You better stop that.

There's some ugly on there.

You better wipe it off.

See, like, his mama locked up.

His daddy locked up.

- That's crazy.
- Mm-hmm.

And I don't want him
to get in some trouble.

That's part of the reason why
I'm where I'm at now.

I was in my senior year
and I got put out, expelled.

Still looking for a job.

So.

You're not a old lady.

You ain't got no kids.

You ain't got no
responsibilities none of that.

You got so many
options out here.

So many options.

Everybody know Boonie.

Everybody know Boonie.

What about knowing Boonie

when you turn on the TV channel
and see Boonie

doing something positive.

You smart, you could be
a journalist or anything.

I could be a comedian.

- You could be whatever you want to be.
- Eddie Murphy.

You could be all you could be.

Bo knows.

What?

Oh, you don't know about
Bo Jackson.

Well, stay on at school.

Do what you supposed to do.

Everything gonna be alright.

Turn to page 349.

Alright,
we about to get started.

Do we all know what
the word "origin" means?

That means your start point.

So if you begin being poor

what does the second part
of that definition say?

They believe firmly that what?

Read it out for me.

- I don't know if it's right.
- What does it say?

"Many Americans firmly believe

that no matter
how humble their origins

they can rise in society
and go as far as

their talents and commitments
will take them."

What she just read is right.
Did you hear what she said, TeTe?

Boo-ooh.

Oprah was actually
born poor, so.

Oh, yeah, she was.

She was?

Okay, I want you to look at
this picture up here

and let me know

what do you see?

Looks like a barrel
full of water.

- They crabs, right?
- So they captured.

- They finna get ate.
- Red Lobster?

Why can't they get out?

The water's, like,
holding them back.

Like, they struggling.

They struggling
to get to the top

when they at the bottom.

Alright.

It's not that many people

that actually make it out
of the barrel.

And then at the same time

you always got that one.

He got out.

He survived.

Everybody talking about
they want to get out of here.

He made it out.

Why can't you?

♪ I don't want to wait

♪ For our lives to be over...

♪ We skipping down
The sidewalk

♪ I don't want to wait
For our lives to be over ♪

You gotta tag her.

Tag her!

She said, "Uh-uh, if you want to
sleep in here, you gotta go, go home."

So disrespectful.
So disrespectful.

Get out of my class.

Officer Gray!
Officer Gray!

I swear to God, that's exactly
how she sounds too.

I hate that school.

I should've never got put out.

It feel like ever since
I got into high school

all bad stuff
been happening.

It be feeling like that Zharia?

It do though, on God.

I ain't even gonna fake it.

I lost hella people.

But for real though.

I think Blewett
a good school, sometimes.

Yeah, we be at school all day
so we ain't got to be out

on the streets and shit.

Nobody got killed yet,
nobody locked up.

Man, I swear, I think

they could've saved Pierre
though, on God.

- How'd he die?
- He got shot in his back

this year in May.

I got shot too, though.

Where you get shot at?

In my stomach right here.
Right here.

What you got shot with, a .22?

Uh... 38

You want it like this size?

Yup.

People be like,
"How can you still be

acting the way you act?"

My head fucked up, man,
people just don't know.

Come on baby,
get you some fruit.

What's going on?

You must be one
of my new students, huh?

- Yes, ma'am.
- Right on.

We gonna make it.
We gonna make it, girl.

- Yes, ma'am.
- Alright.

Hold that head up
and walk the walk of a queen

you understand what I'm saying?

Trust and believe
we gonna make it.

October 18, 2013.

My friends always like

"Y'all gonna end up
talking and that."

I was like, "No, we not."

But we did.

His name's
Antonio Thomas Shumpert, Jr.

He nice, he funny.

He a good person to me.

You called me Caillou.

When I first seen you,
I was like...

She was like, he hella cute.

No, I didn't.
Uh-uh.

No, I didn't.
No, I didn't.

It's because a nigga
handsome and wealthy.

Yes!

Good morning, everybody.

For you ones
that ain't listening

if I was you, I would listen.

Some of y'all may know

we lost a student.

Dead, died, shot, killed.

That kills my whole spirit

and every staff in here,
'cause we feel like we lost.

We didn't get a chance to
get through to you or something.

Trying to understand
that somebody

care about y'all
other than yourself.

October 23, 2013.

Somebody killed
James Deuce yesterday.

It's like, crazy as hell.

He was 16.

Everybody was 16.

Pierre was first

Beon, Chauncey, James,

Chub, Marco,

Nick, McKay,

too many to count.

Do y'all understand?

When y'all go home
and y'all go to sleep tonight

they not gonna see they son,

they brother, they grandson,

they nephew, they cousin,

y'all not gonna see
y'all friend.

Do y'all understand?

Y'all say y'all understand.

Y'all get to go to school
one more day.

Y'all get to fight one more day.

Y'all get to do this
one more day.

- Amen.
- Amen.

I hope y'all understand.

Boonie.

Where's your shirt?

They say he was
coughing up blood and stuff.

All them kids,
all them friends and stuff

that was dyin'
before they made it to 18

and we was just all too close.

So shit,
I thought I was gonna be next.

All the time.

What's wrong?

What's wrong?

What's the matter?

What's wrong?

I be picturing myself
in that shit though.

Every night.

But it don't faze me though,
but I be picturing that shit.

I be thinking, I'm gonna die.

But then, I don't be dead.

Then I don't be
tripping off of it.

But then it happen again.

Then over again,
then over again

then over again.

You know?

I ain't gonna say it,
but you know I might

die at a young age, you hear me?

'Cause of the predicament
I'm in, you hear me, but...

You, I'm gonna make sure
you live as long as you can.

But I know me.

I know for a fact, me,
I probably ain't though

you hear me?

That's just because I know,
but...

We gonna make it together,
you hear?

- I love you.
- I love you too.

And negative 8 times 4
is negative 32.

- Okay.
- Equals 32.

And then you want to get
everything on the same side

so 5x minus 8x is negative 3x.

What did she just do
when she did that?

- Combine.
- Combine like terms, alright.

Do you all agree with that?

- Yeah.
- Alright, go ahead.

Ms. Shelton

are you doing the work, sweetie?

Just because you in

an undesirable place,
don't mean you gotta act it.

Okay?

Whatever that answer is,
it's the answer.

But can you get...
can you solve that problem?

- Yeah!
- Yeah!

Now Daje is gonna

walk you all
through the problem.

He a bitch.

She's gonna explain
what she did.

What the fuck?

Just be respectful.

You be respectful first.

You gonna be gone.

Now what was I doing?

On purposefully trying
to make distractions.

Let them stay!

Will you take Ms. Shelton out?

But I didn't do nothing y'all!

You come to ICA
because you broke rules

at your other school.

And you're at ICA,
still doing the same behavior.

Do you want to go to ICA

or do you want to be withdrawn?

What do I got to be
withdrawn for?

Inappropriate conversation
in class

using profanity

all kinds of stuff.

You're not understanding
where you're breaking rules.

Before you leave here,
you need to understand

because if you don't,
then it's...

there are going to be a different
set of consequences for you.

So what you want to do?

I want to go back to school.

Can you stop crying?

I'm pissed.

Don't tell me what to do.

Put your name at the top.

It been in my face

since I was a little girl.

People been labeling me
as a bad kid all my life.

I was five and I was
in kindergarten

and I got suspended
for something

so stupid and little.

You don't have to
really do nothing.

People just expect it.

Can I see her for ten minutes?

Boonie, tell me why
you getting in trouble.

He said I was making
all type of noise.

You gonna do it again?

I might.

You're not understanding
what I'm saying.

The pettiness, that's...

that's getting dealt
to all the students right now.

Anything will
get you kicked out.

Why even flirt with it,
with getting in trouble?

- You feel like it's fair?
- No.

Why not?

'Cause I'm the only one
that always get consequences

and nobody else do.

Really?

- Yeah.
- You the only one?

Yep.

Okay so, I went out one night
with my homeboy, right?

Dude at the line said,
at the front of the line

like, "You can't get in."

So he making a scene, right?

Police walked up to him

took him around the corner.

Now, if police took one
of your homegirls or homeboys

to a back alley, what's
first thing to pop in your mind?

Definitely beat them.

So guess what I did.

I started recording.

Know what they got me?

Another police officer
pulled up

put me in handcuffs

started questioning me.

- Guess what I hit him with.
- What?

I plead the fifth.

What I teach you?

Fifth amendment.

Fifth amendment.

And guess what happened.

I got locked up.

- Guess what they charged me with.
- What?

Peace disturbance.

They tried to do that to me.

But look, peace disturbance
on the street where

there's nothing but
bars and loud music.

So you in this actual hallway

where it's nothing
but all loud people

and who gets put in ISS?

Me.

Was it fair?
No.

Man, oh my God, it's-

it's too much, I swear.

You know you
gonna make it, right?

'Cause I promise you, like,
I been there.

Alright, now if you...

Since that's your
what-you-call-it, right?

- Mm.
- The name of it.

So now,
before you start writing this

you need a heading.

Think about it.

The Boonie Times.

Ooh.

- Good Times.
- There you go.

It was the best of times
and it was the worst of times.

Boonie Times.
Yeah.

Ooh, I like that.

♪ We are sisters
We stick together. ♪

How are you?

Fine, I'm fine, thank you.

Who wants to present first?

Ms. Boonie?

You about to break my ankle.

Since you don't want to stand,
you can sit.

But you gotta be in the middle.

Just give me what you got.

Okay.

It say, "During the years
of the Vietnam War

the Black Panthers fought for
freedom of African-Americans.

They were being beaten
and killed.

They didn't exclude
the women either.

Initially, the Black Panther
Party's core practice

was to monitor the behavior
of police officers

and to challenge
police brutality.

I agree with this because the
government truly and factually has

all the power,
and the people have none."

That's all I wrote about.

You did something
nobody else did.

You actually talked
about something

that was not in the notes.

It was great.

♪ Baby come back

♪ Any kind of fool could see

♪ There was something

♪ In everything about you

♪ Baby come back ♪

I had this on my history test.

Who was Elijah McCoy?

I don't know.

The first black train conductor.

Mae Jemison.

- Singer?
- First black girl astronaut.

- First black girl astronaut?
- Yep.

Okay, I was close!

Hello?
It's Boonie.

- Antonio?
- What?

When you going back to school?

I can't deal with it baby.

You wasn't there.

Yeah I know you need
your education and all but

sitting in the school
like that?

Fuck no, bro,
that's some bullshit.

That shit got to pissing me off
and irking me

and I don't like being irked.

When I'm irked, I just shake
and stop doing anything.

Baby...

I love you.

I love you, bye.

What was that about?

Some lame-ass shit.

You do anything, nigga

you fight,
you going to jail.

You get suspended,
you going to jail.

You sag, you going to jail.

Damn.

That's a jail school.

Anything you do,
you go to jail.

That's fucked up.

But I'm going down
to pick up a trade

for construction though.

That's what I'm doing.

So when I get out
I have a construction job

and you know,
getting that dust.

Then buy me my own house.

...by what you say,
I'm ready for love.

Boy!

I'm ready.
I'm ready.

Oh my God, Antonio.

Come on, it's past 8:00
you gonna get me in trouble.

Oh my God,
you gonna fall with me.

You do too much.
Move.

Move!

We want to wish you
good luck on all of your tests

and hope that you have
a happy and safe summer.

Yes, ma'am,
I was trying to see where Daje was.

I've called her cell phone

and I can't get any answer.

What's the other number?

Mom thinks she's
running around with the boy

versus doing what she's
supposed to be doing up here.

You have
reached the voice-mailbox of...

She got to go to school.
She can't miss no days.

My fucking stomach hurts.

You doing alright?

No, hell no.

- Not hell no?
- Fine.

Good morning.

- Oh good morning Ms. Anne
- How are you today?

Not good.

It's the last day.

I know, but...

Do you know what
you getting ready to get into?

No.

I'll be ruined.

You gonna have a baby?

What are you gonna do?

I don't know.

My family they don't believe
in abortion, so I won't.

I wouldn't even want
to get that.

Are you serious?

Why are you laughing?

It's not a game out here.

I'm still struggling.

You know.

I still cry

because there are things that
I wish I could have done better

or I could have waited
till I was older

in order to be able
to take care of my daughter.

But I had to...
I had to adjust.

Things I missed out.

Prom and all those things

I couldn't do that.

'Cause I had a baby.

Just wish you would've
listened to me.

I wish I would've listened too.

But everybody
can't be helped though.

I don't even know what to say.

I'm gonna try to get a job

just for us.

For us.

Why don't you go home
and tell Mama?

I feel like the worst kid
she ever had.

You're my day one,
you hear me?

You're my day one.

Mommy.

- Boonie.
- What?

Is everything alright?

No...

I took another test.
It was positive.

It's not no joking matter.

You supposed to be going on
about your business.

- Mama, how old am I?
- Old enough to know better.

Mama, that don't mean nothing
for real!

- Don't mess with my stuff.
- Do it right now, walk out.

- I'm finna leave your house!
- Get up out of here!

- I'm finna leave your house!
- Get out!

See...

Girl pick your head up.

Cheese.

- Smile.
- No.

Boonie.

She was just talking
all kind of stuff.

Like, I don't want no

hoes in my house
and stuff like that.

And then she was like

"If you don't like it,
you can get out."

Aw.

May 31, 2014.

I don't know what to do now.

We ain't perfect,
we still kids.

Finna be having
a damn kid ourself.

I love him though.

Got hella feelings for him.

We like partners.

We there for each other

I guess.

Yaw, look at that.

Hey, hey, whoa, look at that.

Hey, look!
Hoo-wah!

- Come on!
- No.

Boonie!

Is it worth losing your life?

I ain't gonna lose my life
I'm running free.

Yah!

Lot of Caucasians.

Nice, quiet Caucasians.

Would you ever, like,
leave St. Louis?

Would you want to?

Like Hawaii, that's pretty.

- That's a pretty place.
- Fuck no.

There's sharks in that water, cuz.

They ain't gonna bite me nigga

I'm gonna want to go swimming
one day, get swimming lessons.

You gonna surf?

Fuck no, I ain't trying...
no, fuck no.

- Surf?
- I'm just gonna put my feet in the water.

What's wrong with surfing?

I'm black.

So? Black people surf.

I don't surf.

- What color you think they is in Hawaii?
- I'm from the hood.

You ain't gonna
never leave the hood.

Ah so you want to,
want to, really.

I really, yeah
I'm serious about that.

Bullshit.

I told myself, I ain't
gonna never leave St. Louis.

I told myself that too.

But now I got a baby.

I ain't going.

Yes, you is.

I got a headache.

Okay, if you'll
go ahead and lie down.

My name is Susan.

Okay.

Uh, this is
the little one's head.

Ooh, look at it.

That's the left leg and foot,
you see that?

Yeah.
That be kicking hard.

Aw, that's cute.

Little foot.

See the leg,
and there's the arm

kind of resting on the knee.

Uh-huh.
Haha.

So one end
of the umbilical cord

goes into the baby's abdomen

and the other end goes into the

placenta, it's going in to the...

- That's what it's supposed to do?
- Uh-huh.

So that's normal to see.

And here you can see the...

these are called
the renal arteries.

- What is that?
- That's the heart.

Wow it's shaped like a heart.

That's what you want to see.

Those are the four chambers
of the heart.

That's hella tight. It's
straight shaped like a heart.

Ha-ha.

That's hella loud.

It's like a drum.

You want to know
what you're having?

Yep.

Right here.

What's that?
It's a wee-wee?

Ah, gonna have a boy!

Oh well.

It's a boy.

A lot of my friends

they black boys.

They died when they was
like 15 and 16.

I ain't want to have
to be scared

or have to bury my son.

It's gonna be too much.

- What?
- A boy.

- And you mad about that?
- Yep.

That's the best thing
could ever happen.

No, I wanted a girl.

For real.

How you gonna treat him?

How I'ma treat him?

Yeah, like, what you gonna do different from
what your mom and your dad did for you?

Like, do you have
a different route?

No.

No?

Need you to get
that diploma first.

I'ma get all that shit.

I'ma follow my dreams.
Ain't nothing gonna stop me.

No nigga, no baby,
none of that.

Nothing gonna stop me
from doing what I'm doing.

Probably slow shit down,
but it ain't gonna stop it.

But what if it do stop it?

It's not.

I'm straight a senior, ha.

You can see me?

Y'all should put
"Big Time Senior" on there.

You all set, Boonie.

Thank you.

I'm hella fat.

Yes, I am.

Hello.

How are you doing?

I'm alright.

Are you excited?

Come on, it's senior year.

- Mm-hmm.
- So here's your schedule.

Based on everything
that you're deficient

that should fill all
your requirements to graduate.

You have 13 classes, darling.

You have more classes
than anybody.

Oh, my God.

'Cause you have to have

those math classes to graduate.

No if's, and's, or but's,
got me?

Don't come in
with that attitude like

"Oh, I got in trouble one time,
I can do it again."

Not working like that.

You'll come back
for a whole semester

maybe, possibly a year.

So don't even
do yourself like that.

You a grown woman now.
You got a baby coming.

You ain't even got time
for all that.

Get it done.

We continue following

a very hostile
breaking news situation.

A Ferguson police officer
shooting and killing...

He wasn't causing harm
to nobody.

Uh, we had no weapons
on us at all.

He turned around,
he put his hands in the air.

He shot him twice, and then
he put his hands in the air.

...and he fired
seven more shots.

Seven more.

They straight lined up.

That's the police.

- That's crazy.
- Them police?

That's today.
That's right now.

And that's the QuikTrip
we always go to!

This shit hot
on every news channel, y'all.

Look Taja, it's on every
fucking news channel, girl.

Reverend Al Sharpton
in St. Louis.

FBI open civil rights case.

Civil rights case.

That's a straight
civil rights case.

That's crazy.

I don't think he gonna
get his proper justice though.

I don't think so
because they did all that shit

for Trayvon Martin too,
and he didn't get his justice.

This shit been going down
in history for so fucking long.

Girl, this ain't the first time
this shit happen to us.

It's just crazy.

It just reached
a breaking point.

- Yeah, motherfuckers turned up.
- They was heard.

Didn't Lavon
get killed by police?

- Yeah.
- Did the police get locked up?

- Huh?
- Did the police get locked up?

- No, that police ain't get locked up.
- Exactly.

My cousin got shot
25 fucking times.

Let me pull him up.

25 times by the police
and didn't get justice.

Right here, that's
the motherfucker right here.

Hold up, hold up.
I'm gonna hear everybody.

Listen up,
I've been telling y'all

ever since y'all been here
history repeats itself.

Y'all seeing it firsthand.

Right now,
it's in your backyard.

You're right in front
of the war zone.

Tension rose
throughout the night.

Ferguson police asked for help

from 15 law enforcement
agencies across St. Louis...

No justice, no peace!

Hands up!

- Hands up!
- Hands up!

Many of these
fires up in this area.

The street is blocked off.

Instantly, hundreds gathered,
angered and saddened

by what they called a complete
overreaction by the officer.

Now a family
is demanding answers.

You took my son away from me.

You know how hard it was for me

to get him to stay in school
to graduate?

You know how many
black men graduate?

Not many!

Because you bring them down
to this type of level

where they feel like they don't
got nothing to live for anyway

they gonna try
to take me out anyway.

November 5th, 2014,
6:53 p.m.

Dear son...

Your eyes was like,
super little.

Aw, they were so cute.

He's gonna cry, okay?

You didn't cry when you got
your first shots.

I was like, this little boy
gonna be Hercules.

- Antonio?
- You look just like Antonio.

Congratulations.

Got him?

He's so peaceful.

He held you
and went to sleep with you.

He here.

Yes.

And I had a lot of help
from everybody.

Granny in the house.

Oh my god! He's too cute...

You look like your mama
when she was a baby.

But mostly my mama.

I was mad at first,
but now I'm happy.

Say, "Hello, world!"

You said his name is Ahkeem?

- Yeah, Ahkeem.
- Ahkeem.

We was all a family.

You wanna go see Dad there?

Man.

That's the best
feeling ever, cuz.

I swear to God.

Oh, man.

Don't cry.

I'ma try to be
the best father I can, man.

The best father, man.

I'm gonna get a job
and all, bro.

My little boy here,
my little boy.

It's my little boy.

I'ma do everything for him,
bro, I promise.

He gonna have everything, bro.

I'm gonna get a job.

I'm gonna have it all, bro.

I'm gonna have it all.

First kid.

So your son been doing
alright?

Yeah, he's been doing good.

- That's good. He a junior?
- Nah, nah.

- What's his name?
- Ahkeem Lamar Shumpert.

Ah, Ahkeem Lamar.

- You starting a legacy.
- Yeah.

So what's going on with school
and stuff, man?

You gonna straighten up
or you gonna continue...

Yeah, I'm gonna
straighten up, man.

I ain't... I ain't even
been doing shit.

What is it that you gotta do?

What are you trying
to do with yourself?

Man, I need a job.

Alright, look.

It's time to step it up.

- Yeah, it is.
- Yeah, man.

I know what you want.

You want money.

So if you get some money,
you won't have to deal with

selling drugs.

- Yes or no?
- Yeah. Damn right.

So I'm gonna put you
in a program

that's gonna help you
get to the money.

So I'ma have somebody come out
and explain the program to you.

Monday, where you gonna be at?

I gotta go to court on Monday.

Damn.

What's going on
with this court stuff, man?

They charged me
with class A misdemeanor.

I can fight or plead guilty.

I know they ain't got nothing
on me, so, shit.

- So why not fight it, then?
- Yeah.

You gonna plead guilty

to something that you didn't do?

Boy, if you don't
plead guilty

they gonna send that shit
to trial.

Then they really
gonna suck your ass.

Yeah, shit. They're trying to
find something to suck my ass.

They're gonna try to suck me
if I fight it

but they're trying to suck every
little dude out here, bro.

Should we try to find you
something positive to get into?

'Cause like I said,
it ain't just you

that's dependent on you.

Your son depending on you.

Boonie depending on you.

So you definitely got to start
thinking about that.

I want you to have
an almost perfect childhood.

Not perfect, but close to it.

I want you to have stuff that
I didn't have when I was a kid.

I want to look out
the window in my house

in our house

and watch you play
on the playground.

No, a mockingbird.

A rocking bird, whatever.
I don't know.

He gonna get a rocking bird,
you hear me?

I want, you at Christmas...

I want you to wake up,
go run downstairs happy

look under the Christmas tree.

You got everything you want

everything you wished for.

I just want you to be happy.

Damn.

I got so much to do.

Have you been enjoying
motherhood?

You don't look like
you had no baby!

- Look at you!
- Hi, Ms. Hines.

What's up, Ms. Davis?

- Look at her.
- Well, happy New Year's.

- How's the baby?
- Good.

♪ I remember I remember
When I lost my mind ♪

Wow.

This song is so funny to me.

♪ Y'all make me crazy ♪

Okay, song's over.

Alright.

Boonie?

- Yes.
- What did you finish?

I ain't all the way
caught up, but...

Okay, here's my concern.

You're not getting enough done.

You've got
three classes virtually.

You've got one class
that you're taking

by independent study,
and you're taking Algebra 2.

- Eek.
- Yeah, eek is right.

Let's work together
and get it done.

Give me a hug.

'Cause you know
you're like my kid.

We're gonna get this done,
alright?

Okay, since y'all don't want to
read y'all's first, I'll read mine.

My 2014 school year,
my life changed.

I always told myself,
no matter how hard things get

I'ma make a way through
the thunderstorm

until I see the sun
shine bright.

I came too far to give up now,
so I might as well keep fighting

and finish school.

That was so good, Sam.

It ain't never too late to,
you know, start over, so...

After we graduate,
that's when

we finna start
a whole nother life.

You have to start
a whole nother life now.

- Stuff's gonna get real.
- Okay, it's already...

It's already getting real.

Did you wanna start?

'Cause she's...
her story, her story.

Just read your story...

Okay.

The end is almost near
for her to graduate

but work keeps piling up on her.

She had to catch up
on a couple classes

because when she had her son

she went on medical leave

and ended up forgetting
to do her work.

Everyone says
she isn't doing the work

but she is getting it done
for her baby

because he needs her.

But the day she graduates,
jaws are going to drop

to the floor because
while they discouraged her

her mind already was made up

on what she was going to do
with her life.

You can work hard,
no matter what you do.

It seems like at the last minute
you start working hard

then everybody doubting you saying
that you ain't finna do this

and you ain't finna do that,
and proving them wrong that day.

On that same day that you gonna
walk across that stage.

She better.

Girl, I'm gonna skip across
that motherfucker.

Run, jump, hop, skip.

You look like Big Mama.

Uh-huh.

Ooh, he's like a Rabbi.

Now he look like
he from the Soviet Union.

You got a long life
ahead of you.

You doing good right now,
you got no worries.

This is an
ABC News Special Report.

Decision in Ferguson.

We have breaking news.

You see the crowds there
waiting to hear

whether the grand jury
of Ferguson, Missouri

will charge
Officer Darren Wilson

in the shooting death
of Michael Brown.

I'm here with Dan Abrams,
our Chief Legal Affairs Anchor.

And what are the charges
that Officer Wilson could face?

Anything from
involuntary manslaughter

or second degree murder.

The highest one
being first degree murder.

You hear all this ruckus
going on around you?

I don't want him
to know about the...

that type of life,
of murder and crime.

If he see that,
he's gonna see it on TV.

If I can help it.

The news, that's what
I'm talking about.

That's how he gonna find out.

After their exhaustive review
of the evidence, the grand jury

deliberated over two days,
making their final decision.

They determined that no probable
cause exists to file any charge

against Officer Wilson,
and returned a no true bill

on each of the
five indictments.

That was somebody's son.

That was somebody's child.

Y'all murdered her fucking son!

Everybody think you
all cute and adorable now.

But when you grow up,
it's like they all

look at you different.

I want you to do
what you got to do...

And never look back
on St. Louis.

- Hello?
- I have a prepaid call from...

"Man Man."

An inmate in City of St. Louis
Medium Security Institution.

- Hello?
- Hello?

What happened?

Look I didn't know
it was no stolen car.

You hear me, I didn't know
it was no stolen car.

I don't know what happened.

That's bullshit.

This is, uh, Mrs. Chapman,
Antonio's mom.

We're trying to figure out
what's going on with Antonio.

So, only way he can...

So, he's going to have to sit
in jail until the end?

Unless you can make bond, yes.

- And his bond $500?
- Yes, ma'am.

Alright, thank you.
Alright.

- That's bullshit.
- Who gonna get him out?

It sounded like, ain't...
he got... okay, he got $200.

All he need is 300.

Okay, who then...
where you gonna get 300 from?

Mad Man's not finna sit there
till no March or past no March.

If Mad Man don't fuckin'
get bonded out

he gonna go crazy,
he shutting down.

Man, this shit don't make
no sense to me.

Lord, protect my baby.

They talking about
it was a stolen car.

Look, the homeboys pulled up.

I hopped in the car.

I'm like, "Why you driving
like that, bro?

You gonna get us pulled over."

- For real?
- Uh-huh.

And then when I seen
the red lights

And then I figured out
it was a stolen vehicle.

March 14th, 2015.

He called me
from the workhouse.

It make me think about my daddy

when I was growing up.

He didn't see me go to school.

He didn't see me learn
how to tie my shoe

or nothing like that.

You doing okay?

He was coughing hard.

All done, all done.

You wanna go back to Mama?

Your call
is being connected. Thank you.

- Hello?
- Yeah.

How Ahkeem doing?

They put him on an IV.

What's an IV?

They put a needle in his arm

and they feeding him.

They putting fluids in his body.

They put one in him
and they put...

- Your call may be monitored...
- Hold on, hold on, hold on.

Say that again.

You know, they put it
in his arm too.

Uh-huh, for what?

'Cause he not eating no more.

- 'Cause he ain't eating?
- Mm-mm.

When I get home,
he's gonna be eating like me.

- Like a hog?
- Straight up.

- Eat like a hog?
- Like a fat-ass pig.

Yeah, but well, shit.

Phone's gonna cut off
any minute.

I love you.

I love you too.

When is your algebra test?

I wanna go home.

You're not home,
you're right here in my office.

Two weeks and two days.
Graduation.

That is our goal.

Everything else
is out of the picture.

Let's go.
Two questions.

Here you go, Daje, Alicia.

Thank you, Miss.

Why this turn into a fraction,
Ms. Smith?

Hey Daje, you talk, I'm gonna
take your test from you.

You just said
we could ask questions.

No, no!
There is absolutely no talking.

See y'all later.

See you later.
See you later.

I can't believe this.

I failed two finals.

For the record,
please state your full name.

Antonio Thomas Shumpert, Jr.

- Sir, how old are you?
- 17.

How far did you go in school?

Till tenth grade.

Do you have any children?

Yes, sir.

Right now,
he is the primary caretaker for that child

because the child's mother

is preparing to graduate
from high school.

Alright, before this
case, did you ever plead guilty to

or were you ever convicted
of a felony?

No, sir.

To the charge
that you knowingly

and without the consent
of the owner

unlawfully operated
an automobile

namely, a Dodge Caravan,
how do you plead?

Guilty.

The court herewith
places the defendant

on a period of probation
for three years.

And this lady
that you have the baby with

I presume you love her, right?

Yes, sir.

Well,
you want to be with those people

not with the knuckleheads up
at the workhouse, don't you?

Yes, sir.

You have people
that care about you.

You're a young man.

You can turn things around.

Good luck.

- You know I just got out?
- I know.

Get you a job, man.

That's what I'm gonna do.

- I love you.
- I love you too.

Y'all look just alike, damn.

You know I'm your daddy, right?

I just been gone for a month.

I ain't hold you
in a minute, bro.

I miss you.

- I missed you.
- I missed you too.

- He trying to talk?
- Yup.

He trying to talk already.

I'm sorry Daddy was gone,
you hear me?

I was just... I just fucked up
on some dumb shit.

I ain't gonna
leave you again, though.

I ain't gonna leave y'all again.

What's going on in Algebra 2?

Uh...

I didn't understand that.

Go up under her name

and we can see what percentage
she's completed.

Oh, Jesus.

An "F"?

What the fuck?

You got a serious issue.

So at this point,
I really don't understand

how she could graduate.

- Sit down. Sit down.
- That's bullshit.

Stop, come... come here.

So fucked up.

I'm wanna cry too,
because we trying to make sure

you can stand
on your own two feet.

You want to catch the bus
all your life?

You want to live in
your mama house all your life?

You've gotta do what you got
to do now for you and Ahkeem.

- Antonio, what's going on?
- What's up.

This is Dan,
from Father Support Center.

He's here to sign you up
for the program.

We're gonna help you get a job.

- Is that good?
- Yeah.

If you want to change
like we talked about,

let's put that to action,
alright?

So do you know what field

you're really kind of trying
to get into?

- Construction.
- Construction.

Yeah, we've definitely got
hands-on training

with construction, so, yeah,
that's definitely

a good thing for you.

- What's your name?
- Antonio.

- How old are you?
- 17.

Seventeen.

Are you currently
in school now?

- No.
- Okay.

As a juvenile,
have you ever been...

have you ever pleaded guilty,
or been convicted

of a felony or a misdemeanor?

Felony.

Okay.
As a juvenile?

Uh-uh.

I was getting charged an adult.

Okay.

Appreciate it.

He need it bad.

We're looking at a
17-year-old with a kid.

I think our only
conflict is, um...

convicted of a misdemeanor
or a felony.

And for this program,
you can't have a felony offense.

Hold on.
Stop, stop, stop.

This is a temporary
and minor setback.

It's just big 'cause you wanted
to walk across the stage

in your gown and your cap
and this, that, and the other.

Don't let this become
a permanent setback.

- You're just...
- Delayed.

Right. You're just not
gonna do it on the 15th

or whatever day y'all
was gonna do it.

Half a credit that
I needed to graduate.

Aw, man.

You talk to the judge?

'Cause he got this program
going on

and I mean,
you need to progress.

You need to go on
to college, baby.

Ain't no... there is no need
for you to continue

in this high school program.

It's time for you to move on.

In life you evolve.
You move on.

So for a half a credit, what
you got to go to summer school?

They said I could come back
another school year.

For a half a credit?

Don't you drop
me another tear.

Give me a hug, and I love you.

We're gonna have faith,
you hear me?

You're gonna walk that stage,
if I got to go

to the judge myself, and I don't
get in nobody's business.

But it's time for you
to go to college.

You got a baby.

You gotta make things better
for your child, okay?

You wipe your eyes,
and hold your shoulders up.

Hold your head up, alright?

Ain't no need for you
to come back next year.

Wipe your eyes, okay?

You get ahead
and get ready for lunch.

You go until you can't go
no more.

I believe you're gonna walk
that stage.

What do you need to work on?

They said I can't do it
no more.

- Why?
- My grades turned in.

- Huh?
- Grades turned in.

So, do you
really want to try?

Okay. Alright.

Hold on for a minute.

Whatever we need to do
to continue to support her.

Is there another test
that she can take?

Hurry up, please, okay?

Let's get this done, alright?

I don't wanna have to fight you
'cause I'm gonna pass out, okay?

- Mm-hmm.
- Okay.

Take as many quizzes
as you can take.

Whatever it takes.

Exam 6.00, attempt...

number two.

You think that'll bring
my grade up a lot?

If you pass it, maybe it will.

Linear quadratic
functions, that'll be...

So where we are, Boonie

I submitted your grades
on Monday.

So your final grade
in Algebra 1 was a 74%.

- Two thumbs up!
- Oh, that's a "C"?

That's a "C"!

Say, "Yay, Mommy!"

- And finally...
- He'll understand it later.

And your final grade
in Algebra 2 was a 63.

An "F"?

- "D."
- A "D"? Oh.

So that's solidified,
but you will be graduating.

Yay, Mommy!

It's time for you
to march the rest of this out.

Yeah.

All of this is on camera,
so keep it up.

Would you be still?

I'm too excited, y'all.

Will the Class
of 2015 please stand?

Melissa Brock.

Taja Heart.

Diego Jones.

Daje Shelton.

Good job, girlie.

Today is a day
of great celebration.

Today is the day
that you graduate high school.

Today I challenge you to go out
into our community...

Congratulations, graduates.

The total is $75.

How long you need
to pay that 75?

- I'll pay 50 right now.
- You'll pay 50 now?

Don't let me see in my court
again on this, you understand?

Antonio Shumpert.

Do you have a prior offense
for possession of marijuana?

You have the means
to hire a lawyer

or do you want
to represent yourself?

No sir, I'll represent myself
I guess.

Alright.
So you have a choice

to plead guilty
or not guilty tonight.

How do you want to plead
on these?

I'm on two different
fucking probations.

Bullshit, man.

It's all my motherfucking fault,
wanting to plead fucking guilty.

I just want to punch something.

Well...

I'm gonna try
my hardest to just

be there and be a
good mama to you.

I don't want you to follow
your daddy path, either.

I want you to just be you,
and be a good kid.

The way I raised you.

The way
I'm trying to raise you.

♪ Ooo child, things are
gonna get easier

♪ Ooo child,
things will be brighter

♪ Ooo child, things are
gonna get easier

♪ Ooo child,
things will be brighter

♪ Someday

♪ W'll get it together
and we'll get it all done

♪ Someday

♪ When the world
is much brighter

♪ Walk in the rays
of the beautiful sun

♪ Right now

♪ Walk in the rays
of the beautiful sun

♪ Right now

♪ We'll get it together
and get it all done

♪ Right now

♪ We'll get it together
and get it all done

♪ Right now

♪ Ooo child

♪ Things are
gonna get easier

♪ Ooo child

♪ Brighter

♪ Ooo child

♪ Things are
gonna get easier

♪ Ooo child

♪ Brighter

♪ Ooo child

♪ Things are
gonna get easier

♪ Ooo child,
things'll get brighter

♪ Ooo child

♪ Things are
gonna get easier

♪ Ooo child

♪ They'll get brighter
Yeah ♪