The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime

That Changed Their Lives

JOHN MICHAEL J. RODRIGO

G12-ADAMS

The book started when the incident happen between Sasha

and Richard. The book explores Sasha’s non-binary gender, and

victimization, as well as the mistreatment of young, African

American Richard by police and the justice system.

Sasha is an agender teenager, who attends a private school

in Oakland and comes from an upper-middle class family. Sasha,

who also has autism, has a tight-knit group of friends; together, they

invent languages and work on computer programming. Sasha’s

parents, supportive of Sasha’s non-binary identity, encouraged

Sasha to continue wearing skirts and dresses after Sasha enjoyed the

experience during cross-dressing day at high school. Sasha started

identifying using “they/them” pronouns, preferring to live between

genders rather than subscribing to one. Richard, on the other hand,

attends a public school in Oakland. He is known as a mischievous

teenaged black boy from a poor high school where only two-thirds

of the students are expected to graduate, and where many of his

friends will find themselves pregnant, in jail, or dead before they

turn twenty-one. Living with his mother in the poor flatlands near

the city, Richard experienced a great deal of financial hardship

growing up. Despite the criminal activity with which many of his

classmates have become involved, Richard has remained clear of a

record, other than some minor issues goofing around at school. One

day, on the 57 bus, Sasha is wearing a white, gauzy skirt. Richard is

dared by his friends riding the bus with him to light the skirt on fire.

Though Richard had not meant to cause any serious damage,

Sasha’s skirt bursts into flames, causing Sasha to receive second and

third-degree burns on her legs. Sasha is deeply scarred by the

incident, which both Sasha and their parents consider a hate crime,

given the likelihood that Sasha was being targeted for wearing a skirt

because of their non-binary gender and atypical appearance.

Richard, charged with two separate hate crimes, is put on trial as an

adult, with the possibility of receiving life in prison.

. Though Slater does not condone Richard’s actions, making

it clear that his behavior was inappropriate and emotionally

damaging for innocent Sasha, the goal of the book is to see both

criminal and victim as teenagers forced to manage a justice system

that wasn’t built for them. If there are bad guys in this story, they

are the larger forces within these social structures: Prosecutors who

- locked into a rigid system of winners and losers - blithely try

juveniles in adult courts even when the victim’s family and groups

like the Transgender Law Center object. Hate crime laws that are

enforced in a racially biased manner. Social media trolls who rev up

inter-group animosities. Hack defense attorneys who blunder along

with little regard for their clients’ human sensibilities.

A very informative and interesting depiction of true events.

At times I had trouble putting it down. It taught me things as well as

enlightened me some in the areas of sexuality, gender and society. I

have no words for how amazing this was. I learned so much. It was

so heartbreaking. You should definitely pick it up.

 Striving for Equality: LGBTQ Athletes Claim the Field
NEIL A. OGAY
G12- Adams

This story presents a history of the long struggles of LGBT

athletes to gain recognition and acceptance, describing some of the

famous athletes from the past who were unable to reveal their

genders and how social practices have changed and benefited

current LGBT athletes. It also focuses on homophobia and

transphobia in the sports world, early pioneers, contemporary

players who have come out, stereotypes, challenges LGBTQIA+

athletes face, and so much more.

In 2015, the world watched as soccer star Abby Wambach

kissed her wife after the US women’s World Cup victory.

Milwaukee Brewers’ minor league first baseman David Denson

came out as gay. And Caitlyn (born Bruce) Jenner, an Olympic

decathlete, came out as transgender.

It hasn’t always been this way. Many great athletes have stayed in

the closet their whole lives, or at least until retirement. Social

attitudes, institutional policies, and laws are slow to change, but they

are catching up. Together, athletes, families, educators, allies, and

fans are pushing for competitive equity so that every athlete,

regardless of identity, can have the opportunity to play at their very

best.

Reading this book all throughout was very interesting. This

is a great book about LGBTQ+ athletes. In the past athletes were

often afraid to come out because they are afraid and their fear comes

first, but these days more and more athletes are coming out. It's great

that people finally are comfortable to be exactly who they are. In

this book there are stories of athletes in nearly every sport who have

been brave enough to share their story with the world. The best part

of this book is the open letter from a gay college football player

encouraging others to be brave. I suggest that people will read this

book because it teaches a person to be brave and show who they

really are.