A neighborhood confrontation from years ago that raised questions about escalation and aggression among young people in the same community.

A look back at the genuinely dangerous things kids did growing up in the Bronx in the 80s and 90s, and why we did them without thinking twice.

A reflection on the unwritten rules that shaped kids growing up in the Bronx in the 80s and 90s, and why leaving certain instincts behind is part of growing up.

Growing up in the Bronx, block politics were real and consequences were immediate. One kid slashed a bully’s face and had to disappear overnight. Years later, I had to move my own father out of state for the same reason. Sometimes survival means knowing when to go.

We played outside in the 90s. No phones, no supervision, just kids running around the block until something went wrong — and sometimes something definitely went wrong.

Cutting school in the Bronx wasn’t as simple as just walking out. Truancy cops patrolled in the paddy wagon, and one wrong move could get you caught. Here’s how I always managed to stay one step ahead.

Growing up in the Bronx in the 1980s, I saw things that would be hard to imagine today. Abandoned buildings caught fire over and over, and trash was thrown from rooftops into empty lots across the street. One day, as a kid, I looked down and saw hundreds of garbage bags piled up like a dump. It was just normal life back then—but looking back now, it’s hard to believe this was happening in modern America.