Alhassan “EL” Abdulfattah
El was born and raised in Fort Greene, and spent his childhood between Brooklyn and the Bronx with his parents and four siblings, with whom he is very close. In a case of mistaken identity, El was shot in a drive-by shooting in 2015 that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He currently attends City Tech in Brooklyn, pursuing a major in Computer Science and has aspirations to specialize in Computer Systems Technology. Today, El is a core member of the OPEN DOORS Design Team, using bold graphics to creatively inspire and uplift the community.
Visual Art
Poems
Nobody Deserves This
Haven’t been home most of the week
Just was working and relaxing with my lady in the sheets.
Friday's here
Coming from
Harlem to the Bronx was a big relief…
Finally home now spoke to a friend on the phone
Asked him if he wanna play video games and cheef
His response, “Best believe!”
Now I’m out in the cold. Way to the store
Gotta pick up the dutch papers or bambo. Crossing the street..walking on the sidewalk
A car approached beside me
I looked at dude, and the dude stared back
...car parks I’m still walking continuing to the lobby
..3 secs after that phone is in hand. Bout make the call for the door 3 shots go off
...thought to myself this couldn't be a gunshot
...RIGHT in my back and in the spinal cord
As I turn to see who? My body hit the floor
Raising my head and neck seeing the barrel with gunsmoke
Shooter standing 2 feet away from me.
Let off another 3 more…
(Boom,boom,boom)
Phone blew up in hand no one to call
Lady holding my bloody hand praying don’t know her from a hole in a wall
MTA man making The 911 call
Saying to myself, “It's not my time yet I still got more to see”
Ambulance arrive putting me on the stretcher
Seeing all the eyes and stares didn’t make it no better
Went to the hospital, friend came to visit
Told him, “Look at my life now and see how I’m living”
Times is Changing
Times is changing
Every other day on the news
I'm seeing kids hurt
Or innocent bystanders shot
People cant even go out no more and
enjoy themselves
Without ducking from AR-15 shells
Shit is upsetting
Families and communities is torn
another one to mourn
Mental illness is on a whole another level
But them people need help
Although they saying they trouble
Suicidal...
I don’t why some people feel they inside
America didn't care then
Only reason why
Is cause the cops is committing suicide
Cops killed a Black man in his own home
Joshua Brown took the stand
R.I.P. now he gone
All of this shit wrong
And people in the world
shouldn't have to take this no more
With all this racism and hate
Leave us in place divided
With no hope and no faith
Times is changing,
America.
Is this the so-called great?
…cause if it is,
We're heading beyond a negative place.
It's only up to the people to change,
America…
And the world to make a better place,
To make a better space