By Sandra Sanchez
FROM: Sims Library of Poetry

Sandra Sanchez: Please tell me a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up? What do you currently do, and how do you spend your time?

Tim Macky: Oh my god. Well, I’m from L.A. The city of Los Angeles. I grew up on 54th street and Compton Ave. A place called Low Bottoms. I was a very hyper child. I was (born to) a single mother. Abusive. You know she was in her addiction, and I was raised by my grandparents. I grew, you know, kinda tough. At a young age got involved in drugs and gangs. From 12 to 15, I was incarcerated in Boys’ Homes, camps. I got out with a real bad attitude towards life. And you said currently what I’m doing today? Currently, what I’m doing today, I’m in redemption, recovery, repentance. I go to church. I go to school, and I’m also part of the Sims Library and CLI program and writing helps me very much. So Imma continue writing my book. Also, I’m an amputee. I got shot (in) January 2008, and (had to) amputate my leg. So much pain. Now I’m currently trying to walk again. So basically live life. Be positive.

Sanchez: Could you tell us a bit about what brought you to the library? How did you come to learn about the library?

Macky: What happened was I forgot exactly what date — it was during the pandemic. I’m just browsing (online) and I saw this Sims Library. So you know I grabbed my keys, my wallet, my cell phone, and now you got to wear your mask you know. I was still in between my leg, so I grabbed my cane and I came down here. It was amazing. She [Sims Librarian] told me about the program. I’m like “oh my god,” so I joined the Sims Library.

Sanchez: How would you talk about your experience with the program?

Macky: You know what I like about the program? It’s ongoing. And what I mean by that is I’m so frustrated (with) I call it academic people — that (they) take a class with no purpose. Here I’m constantly doing something. Constantly think-tanking. It’s like playing sports. When you win a game, you still got to go to the next game. I’m in workshops, poetry lounges, I’ve been to events from Skidrow to my college. (In college), you go to this little workshop in class — no purpose. Are we doing a book? Are we doing an album, a CD, a something? I’m constantly getting emails (from CLI) during the pandemic. It’s constant. Even this right here. So I like it and I still gotta do editing and writing and put more poems in my book. So my book is never done. And when that get done I want to do another book. So it’s like a constant, like sports, you know. Once you have a baby, still your baby. 100 years old, still your baby. (laughs) So it’s life. That’s what I love about the program. It’s an ongoing life program.

Sanchez: You mentioned your book, and I know you said it’s never finished because you’re always working on it but could you tell me about your book? What’s the title?

Macky: It’s called Wake Up. It’s about writing my life experiences through art by redemption, recovery; from gang banging, drug dealing, and drug use to my spiritual beliefs to recovery to even right now today and what I’m going through. When I say it’s constant, I want to add more poems to it, so it’s constantly building. Basically like I said once I get, pray to god, World Stage, so I can sign a contract and get it rolling. Have it take off. And from there, once I do that, I want to have another baby. (laughs) Read Rest of Article Here