African American

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When They See Us: Ripping the Bandaid off for Fresh Air

Since I caught wind that Ava DuVernay was creating a mini series about the “Central Park 5,” I was overcome with emotion. I was excited, because although there was previous documentaries and coverage of this notable case, it just feels different when it’s coming form “one of us.” I was thrilled, because not only did I believe Ava would do right by the five men whose childhoods were cut short because of this, but I felt she would dig deep and research and share things that were previously unknown.

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Poetry Post 7: Unity Poem 2

I see the way you look at me
the way you stare
those eyes full of hate
your judgmental glares.

I’m not a size two

nor do I care about the coil or kink of my hair

I won’t apologize for my self-love

that you can’t bare

a beautiful woman of color

nothing can compare.
I hear your disapproving whispers
your pointing fingers

because of the beauty you fail to see

And a love you don’t understand
Mad cus we interracial
I call to embrace reappraisal

with it my magnificence glows

You try your hardest to make my highs

so low, your mindset is so skin deep
it makes me cynical, makes me livid, makes me weep!

 

Your insults will no longer bring us down

We will come together black & brown

Strength and courage to uplift us

You can continue to fuss

We are minorities no longer

We’re making a comeback

We coming back stronger

Brown & black

The underdogs no more

Higher and higher together we soar

Like Maya Angelou we will rise

To your hate we say our goodbyes

You can no longer enslave us our minds are free

Today we let go of your negative thoughts towards we.

 

By: Stephanie Cofield & Viola Constance

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Black in Color not Stereotype

ster·e·o·type (stĕr′ē-ə-tīp′, stîr′-) n.

1. A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.
2. One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type.

 

The struggle to separate oneself from color is one [impossible] thing as it is something that is beyond your control. But separating oneself from stereotypes, although tough, is something that can be done. It just saddens me that I have to do it and the effort that goes into it. Why must I be prejudged on account of formed opinions or the actions of a select few?

It’s kind of sad to admit that I’ve always told myself “don’t be THAT black girl.” Who is that black girl exactly? You know, she’s how they portray us in media and music. Everything that my mother told me not to be without reason. The loud, mouthy, angry black woman. The one who is always in everyone’s business, gives major attitude and then some. All in all she is a headache. She is labeled ghetto. She isn’t heard nor is she taken seriously.

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Poetry Post 6: Unity Poem

We are a nation awoken by the indifference of an adversary 
The burden of corruption keeping our people deeply wary
We progress. We compromise.
but in the end WE all seem to face a demise.
Bullets… drugs… crime…
A number of issues that keep us behind
They attempt to hold us back
But we aim for the stars 
Reaching… Ascending… Achieving…
Intelligence on the rise in the minds of the young
The brutal loss of an election that certainly stung 
Revolution, revolution, revolution 
Working together to build a solution
Do not be afraid of what the future may hold.
We have endured much more than strong winter’s cold.
We are strong, ignited and empowered
We matter.
And our knowledge is power.
 
When will we realize we matter?
After another 48 hours of killings
Or when it’s known their pockets are getting fatter?
When will we realize we matter?
The chanting and the marching
Is a great start, but not enough for modern day slavery.
2016 lynchings hidden under labels of suicide
We matter, we matter
Oh yes we matter!
And we matter more and more as the madness intensifies.
 
Say his name
Say her name
Say your name
And know that you matter
We all matter
Without a hashtag.

The older I get the more I realize I am a strong black woman like Maya Angelou I rise. 
 
It seems like war going on right in front of our eyes, some days it seems like they want us to compromise. 
 
Compromise our dignity, compromise our way of living, compromise the way we speak for what we believe in. 

But no. We stand tall. We may fall but we will continue to fight on. 
 
Fight for justice. Fight for peace. Fight for what’s right in our communities. Fight for equality. 
 
We will rise. We will overcome. We will fight until the battle is won’. 

Standing up for rights. Standing up for those afraid to speak. Giving all we have, we chant, we just want to be free. Free of hurt, free of pain free of reliving what our ancestors had to bear. Free of seeing our brothers and sisters killed while having their hands in the air begging to have their life spared. 
 
We have never known justice, never known liberty and simply stand and fight for human rights that were taken from WE.
Tired of fighting the same transgressions and refuse to die in the same slavery our ancestors protested 
Refusing to compromise our quality of life to simply pacify a people with no conception of what’s right 
We will continue to awaken our own, continue to uncover crowns that our oppressors have stole
Enlisting melanated allies to fight for more, our aboriginal powers cannot be torn or taken away
After years of oppression we still shine bright as day, being feed by the sun, glowing and growing with every ray
And we will shout 
We will scream 
We will cling to our dynasties 
Never imagining that freedom bells were covered in love but blood 
An element of war 
The majesty of black lives will be restored
A Unity poem by
Auvonnie E. Alexander, LadiRev, Tailand Scott and Viola Constance