Dear America,
Why do you hate us?
Why do you ignore us?
For years you choose to ignore the oppressed while we’re being oppressed by the oppressors.
You’ve always been putting us down while raising them up,
and throughout the years there have been some changes made, but at the end of the day, the scale of equality is still uneven.
You already know that, but you choose to ignore it.
You probably don’t recognize me.
I’m one of the many voices that you’ve tried to silence.
I’m one of the many voices that you’ve been ignoring.
But even though you ignore us, we can still hear your silence.
However, I’m here to inform you that just because you’re ignoring us doesn’t mean that we’re giving up.
We won’t stop until the scale is even
so that no more mothers are grieving
for their black children being beaten
and killed by people who don’t believe in
equality.
America, this is more than just a black vs white issue.
This is a right vs wrong issue.
So we won’t stop. We demand justice.
Our voices matter.
Our movement matters.
Our freedom matters.
Our lives matter, but you just want to ignore our struggle by saying that “all lives matter”, don’t you?
America,
since you’re stating that all lives matter, don’t black lives fall under that category as well?
How can you say that “all lives matter”, but ignore us when we say that black lives matter?
If “all lives matter”,
George Floyd would still be breathing.
If “all lives matter”,
Breonna Taylor would’ve woken up the next day.
If “all lives matter”,
Ahmaud Arbery would’ve made it back home from his run.
If “all lives matter”,
slavery would’ve never even existed.
If “all lives matter”,
Tamir Rice would be the same age as me right now.
If “all lives matter”,
then act like it.
Because all lives can’t matter until black lives matter.
But you didn’t listen to anything that I’ve said.
Instead, you’ve just been ignoring me, haven’t you?
We breathe the same air as everyone,
but you want to hold our breath.
We bleed the same blood as everyone,
but you want to see us bleed.
You’d rather cover your hands in our blood than have us be free.
America,
Admit it.
You want to be in our skin,
but don’t want to be in our shoes.
You want to be in our skin,
but hate us because we’re born in it.
You want to say the n-word,
but don’t want to say that black lives matter.
Do you know how hard it is speaking up to a country that will try to silence your voice, but it will still call you leaders of tomorrow?
It’s not easy for us to speak about how intoxicating this country is when this country tries to intoxicate us.
They try to tell us to “get over it”, but how are we supposed to get over it when the ignorant keep ignoring their ignorance?
America,
No matter how silent you are,
we will keep on demanding justice.
We are going to “lift ev’ry voice and sing ‘til earth and heaven ring”.
As this poem ends,
I have one last thing to say:
America,
How is it that you want us to become leaders of tomorrow, but you didn’t listen to us today?
If you like this article, check out: https://stories.harnessmagazine.com/how-to-be-an-angry-black-woman-at-work/
