“Just take a puff”, uttered my friends, as they all stood around me with anticipating eyes. We’re on an empty dock, and as I try to process what exactly is happening, I quickly grab my backpack and begin to run. As I run, I think about how I’m running from the fear of peer pressure, disappointing my family, and becoming a part of what society portrays the black male to be. Throughout all of my life, I have...