Listening to the Trees by 826nyc

LISTENING TO THE TREES 1

Social Justice Poetry by the Students at the High School of Fashion Industries

826NYC Books 372 Fifth Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Listening to the Treesâ&#x20AC;? Copyright

2017 by 826NYC and the authors.

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. First 826NYC edition 2017 Manufactured in the United States of Brooklyn America 978-1-934750-78-0 The writing in this book was produced in fall of 2016 during an 826NYC in-schools project at the High School of Fashion Industries. Ms. Rebecca Eisenberg and Rebecca Darugar led the project with the help of 826NYC volunteers Oliver Erteman, Sarah Esocoff, Chanel Fetaz, Carol Goldberg, Sam Greenhoe, Lindsay Griffiths, Oliver Harwood, and Alexandra Lifshin. Rebecca Cohen and Miles Coleman also supported this project. Designed by Ciara Cordasco Edited by Christine Corbin, Caroline Knecht, Allison Malecha, Nora Pelizzari, and Rachel Spurrier Printed by Bookmobile This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Additional support for this program is provided by the Bay & Paul Foundations. 826NYC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages six to eighteen with their creative and expository writing skills and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. Our services are structured around our belief that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success. 826NYC 372 Fifth Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215 718.499.9884 www.826nyc.org

The writing in this book came together with the help of many special people who deserve many thanks, shoulder pats, highfives, and hugs. First, a warm thank-you to Principal Daryl Blank for fostering a community that nurtures young writers. Your morning greetings and our daily banter set a positive tone for the rest of my day. My sincerest gratitude goes to Nancy Moore, the Assistant Principal of the English Department, for working tirelessly to help us help our students. I am grateful for the confidence you have in me as a teacher. I am fortunate to be a part of the High School of Fashion Industries family. A very special thank-you goes to Rebecca Darugar, Director of Education at 826YC. Thank you for being such a delight to work with. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what I will do now with the numerous hours that would normally be spent emailing with you. So, we should probably make another book. Email me. 826NYC volunteers: How amazing are you? Many, many thanks for sharing your time and your passion with us. I like people who support student writing. You are always welcome in Room 219. Finally, my students, my beautiful people, my munchkins, my poets! I am so lucky that I get to spend my days with you. Thank you for trusting me and (mostly) listening to me as we worked on this special project together. I appreciate the bravery and honesty you demonstrated in our class discussions and writings about the social justice issues that impact us. We often talk about the importance of having a voice, especially as young women, and especially in this moment of time. I am so proud of you for expressing your voices through poetry. I hope you are proud of yourselves. In a time of tumult and uncertainty, art becomes more valuable, more necessary. So know that this collection matters. Know that you matter. Sincerely, Rebecca Levine Eisenberg English Teacher The High School of Fashion Industries

Contents:

Yes, We Are Also Human Beings 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

No, It's Not Our Fault Woman Alien You’re Just White Racism Edumacate Yahself You & I The Change We Are Models Different World+Curriculum≠Equality Volume 1 LGBTQ Are You White? Love and Hate Fruit Basket Untitled It’s Not Easy The “Dark One” What It Mean to be Black Brown Girl in a Colorful World Everyone Cringes Colorless Sexism at Its Finest Black Beauty Listen Being a Woman Echoes In Your Mind Caramel Girl Not a Man’s World

Zakiyyah Capers Jahruwach Hamilton Anayah Gregory Juliette Ferens Lhamo Tsering Destiny Marrero Kelcy Greaves Dariela Reyes Aleanna German Jordan Hilaire Kenya McCoy Taylor Pankey Zya Rivera Isabella Romero Melissa Ferreira Melissa Gomez Ramon Denise Erin Evertsz Toniann Quick Sudani Ausby Tatyanna Terry Jocelyn Negron Amanda Batista Sharlenne Badia Akeilya James Samantha Wieland Remy Skrzypek Glorianny Reyes Sydney Rivera Nia Portes Ashly Compres

Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning 48 50 52 54 56 58 59 60 61 62 66 68 70 71 72 73 74 75

Red Roses She, He, Them; See from My Eyes Destroy the Silence i, too, deserve justice To Stay Warm Body American in America Hear My Voice, Don't See My Gender All a Blur B-A-N-G Love Isn't Expensive Why? Justice to Be Served Wrong Black Boy Is There an End? Untitled Untitled

Izabela Jaramillo Savannah Brown Amir Evans Taylor Singleton Iris Jeffries Max Antonio Albania Valerio Brianna Simpson Melanie Canela Kaitlyn Cruz Meyah Douglas Veloz, Natalie Sowah, Maxine Dennis, Bryanna Allsop, Oriel Barrera, Janna Martinez, Chelsea Mejia, Angelina Ivelis

We’ll Destroy Them with Our Words 78 79 80 82 84 86 88 90 91 92 94 95 96 98 99 101

Equality If a Tree Falls Weeping Multitude Hispanics Remember A Glitch in the System The Final Cut? I Am...Free? Untitled Poems Not My President The Impact Let's Make America Great Again The Worth Hear Our Cry America Is Blocking Our Future Your Decision Matters

Jocelyn Flores Daana Johnson Kiarah Tsa'i Brown Christie Mia Dejesus Soraya Khan, Tensi Masuda Talia Jeffrey Nicole Sylvester Lenae Wharton Alexis Gonzalez, Keena Hall Jayda Colon Ana Yauri Kaelyn Figueroa Emmy Mosso Jaydah Ham

We Are The Warriors 105 Nameless Love 106 Our Mark on the World 108 Standing Strong & Bright in the Night 109 Colored Queen 110 Untitled 112 War 113 Everybody Is Perfect the Way They Are 114 A Purpose 116 #BLM 118 Did You Hear? 120 Bring Change Please 122 What's the Difference? 124 Social Injustice 127 Untitled 128 Not My President 130 Pride 131 Equality 133 Words Can Express More Than Irregular Thoughts 134 Mind Games 136 Black + Bold

Lyndsey Torres Jairam, Kelly Jane Choe Affoue-Zaynab N'guessan Serena Rivas Ruth Glover Chyna Rice Kayla Kerr Janell Brown Renee Birchwood Nagely Valerio Martine Ashney Simmons Courleon McDermott Jaheim Walker Jessica Parra Ventura Mia Rodriguez Briana Jimenez Edina Dedusnevic Gloria Almenas Kerlea Clarke

Section One:

Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

No, It’s Not Our Fault Zakiyyah Capers

Since when did clothing determine the way we get treated? Why is it always blamed on us? They say, “Don’t wear that,” or “That’s too sexy.” But please don’t tell me how to dress. They make us feel guilty, but no, it’s not our fault. No, it’s not our fault! They say, “She signaled me,” “She wanted it,” but no, it’s not our fault. No, it’s not our fault! My clothes are not a newborn baby, screaming out for your attention. My clothing does not scream “Rape!” My gender does not determine my respect! Our bodies are diamonds, and yes, we are Queens. Yes, we are also human beings. Females are the Terms and Conditions that nobody reads “No” is “no” and “stop” is “stop”! No, our gender is not our fault. Is my outfit safe enough? Is my skirt too short? Pants too tight? No, because clothes aren’t rapists; people are!

LISTENING TO THE TREES 13

Woman

Jahruwach Hamilton I am more than a small waistline and an hourglass figure I am powerful and wise I am they that gave birth to a thousand generations And forged the way for others like me to be free of oppression I am many lifetimes of wisdom I am they that fought a war few cared about but many saw I am the gentle breeze and the howling wind I am ferocious and beautiful A painting of many colors and a stronghold for the weak I am every color of the rainbow and every flavor of ice cream I am kissed by the sun and hugged by the moon I am chaos and peace and everything in between I am a message, a warning, I am not to be abused and manhandled I am to be loved and respected I will not be forced into the quiet mold of a biased society This isn’t a man’s world It’s mine I am the working woman, the toiling woman The bend-over-backwards-for-her-children woman But I am not the stay-at-home mother I am not the submissive housewife Cooking-all-day-behind-a-white-picket-fence woman I am street smart and body smart Cultivating a world for those like me, after me I am a mix of races and cultures And as Staceyann Chin said I come in too many flavors for one f—ing spoon I am woman

14 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

Alien

Anayah Gregory He’s trapped, trapped in society soon to be slaughtered. He traps, using his body to support his needs. Smoking to escape reality so the pain can leave. Scared for his life daily. Treated like an alien. An outsider looking in. His mind runs wild like a dog without a leash. He engages in self-hate. Trying to repress his gay. Thinking he is what’s wrong with today’s people, but a sin is not love. Love has no gender. So you tell me, why is he being bashed on daily because he is not “Christianly”?! My God loves all, and yet he’s still treated like an alien, an outsider looking in.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 15

You’re Just White Juliette Ferens

My story blends Bends with a more expansive history because I identify myself through Judaism Russian Feminism American. When I identify myself through my religion Judaism I think of how my great-grandparents had to escape and hide from Hitler. How my great-great-grandparents had to slave away to make a living and how my ancestors before them had to part the Red Sea. My parents fled Russia and my mother and the women before her struggled to get an education and become successful idols. Those are my identities. I’m the apple from the tree you can’t cut down. And your words are like the axe that tried to chop the branches but never succeeded.

16 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

Racism

Lhamo Tsering My name is Lhamo, and I’m Tibetan. People think that since I’m Asian, I’m smart That I love rice, That I’m good at math And I play the piano and violin. They confuse me with other nationalities That I share similar features with Such as Chinese and Japanese But what they don’t realize is That every time they do They strip away my Individuality, My unique characteristics Oftentimes I don’t speak up But the times I do, I’m told that I’m Sensitive Weak Fragile I feel that racism needs to end Like closing the last pages of a book. My name is Lhamo, and I’m Tibetan. Not Chinese. Not Japanese.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 17

Edumacate Yahself Destiny Marrero

Listen to what I have to say For all yah ignorants I see everyday Keep talking about my race like it’s an issue Square up, cause Imma really have to get you. If only I could curse so you’ll feel my anger, But if I do your feelings will be in danger Yah say the dumbest things—getting on my nerves Congratulations—come get these hands you deserve. Human nature can only judge what is shown Therefore you base who I am on my skintone Of course this is completely understandable Yet why your neurons gotta be so undependable. For some reason yah swear that yah me Telling me I’m “JUST WHITE” like you a part of my family tree Establishing my ethnicity and who I’m supposed to be Chaining me up—when God made all people free. Our levels have no comparison And what I just said wasn’t out of arrogance I don’t need your opinions or words of acceptance Ain’t nobody inform you of your irrelevance? So don’t ask me another question ‘Cause I’m tired of your lack of comprehension Go ahead try me and keep acting slow My answer remains this—it’s hell to the no. Hell to the no—I don’t support Trump And I didn’t do squats to get these little lumps No I’m not adopted that is really my fam and my moms And yes I danced Bachata and twerked a little at prom. Hell to the no my “BFFs” aren’t Hailey or Brooke And what you mean—my mom can actually cook Country music, deer hunting, and trailer homes are a dub So now yah ignorants better know what’s up.

18 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

You & I

Kelcy Greaves You and I. Different cultures, Different faces who grew up in Different places. Growing up as a mixed child, Am I the best of both worlds? Am I the one with tanned skin? Am I the one they serve first? Or am I the worst of both worlds? Am I the one they put in jail so easily? Am I a racist? Color, color me angry, sad, or happy. They say hate is a powerful word, Well, hate is gasoline, A fire fueling all my thoughts and dreams Every secondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like torture, no happy endings. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s make it one.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 19

The Change Dariela Reyes

Happiness is really rare Something you want to find But you can change that Damage comes You may be broken but you can get fixed Hurtful words are spoken like fists hitting your face Just from speaking your mind But don’t worry—it will change Bullying is never okay You might be sad now But no worries, smiles will come out We were brought here to change Change this world This world is complicated like a math problem Filled with different opinions So why care what people say But that doesn’t matter Just keep your beautiful head up Remember you’re the change You’re the better You’re the great Drop that dirty rope Don’t cry yourself to sleep It’s all going to change Life is a big puddle It may seem like you’re drowning but eventually you will Swim out Following one another is the trend now What happened to being yourself? Doing things your way? Be brave like a lion If you’re a fraud It will change

20 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

We Are Models Aleanna German

We’re all different… Why would society want us all the “same”? Who says we can’t be ourselves— Fake… It’s what society wants Tall, skinny…”Barbie-figured” It’s all skin and bones! Blue eyes…blonde hair, Don’t care…right? What about…the other parts of society? Plus-sized, Dark skin, How about petite-sized? They don’t matter…what you mean? It’s what makes and creates diversity. I’m not blue-eyed nor fully bone and skin…but I’m still part of society, I want to show the young girls it’s okay to be who you are! ‘Cuz I’m human, Not all models are perfect… I’m a model We’re all models who shine like the sexiness of diamonds And we can all be on magazines!

LISTENING TO THE TREES 21

Different Jordan Hilaire

They aren’t from here yet treated differently. Like species transplanted to a new habitat. Human like everyone else Because they aren’t from here, people say this isn’t their home. A different accent, yes! Nous sommes humains (we are human) but don’t get treated the same just because of the way “we speak, the way we dress, the food we eat.” Different as if this is not what any other person does. Is this not their home too? They come here to America for a better life. Trying to change their life. They aren’t from here, but they are unique.

22 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

World + Curriculum ≠ Equality Kenya McCoy

It started as a baby You were taught to wobble, bubble, and giggle Off of your imagination You were taught to stand aside But today as you grow You start to realize, to feel free, to love yourself And your body It’s okay to say you are different You’re going to stand And be a part of the LGBTQ community and of this world Even if they try to tear you down Stop letting them treat you differently In reality we all are equal Even if we don’t reach the world curriculum Stop saying you are worthless You are allowed to love anyone you want Please stop letting them shape your future As long as you choose your own path You are welcome into this world.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 23

Volume I Taylor Pankey

The power we had, the power we have as soon as that mind of yours is open and awakened to the fullest They say the black in us is not enough they say it’s the Native that brings out my beauty, but I say it’s both my black and Native beauty combined together When I look into the mirror I see a young girl filled with dreams and excitement, trying not to have that taken away from her, and to remain strong A Black man speaking his mind is like a killing to their family, the opinion itself Is not valid, to them But as long as we know who and where We came from, we know for sure Our Souls, Minds, and Bodies Matter

24 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

LGBTQ

Zya Rivera Women and men are discriminated by the way they love, act, look, and feel. They are looked at as lesser or weak. For loving to be different. Why can’t we be different without being called different? BUT WE LOVE TO BE DIFFERENT. How come we are “the country of change” But cannot accept different forms of it? Love is love No matter how love is brought upon us, the people, We all need love BUT WE LOVE TO LOVE DIFFERENT. Despite our differences, we the people are all the same. Brought together by one thing, LOVE Love spreads faster than any trend. Love is stronger than any titanium fence BUT WE ALL LOVE. Without love where would you be? In a world built on differences the only thing you have in common with the person sitting next to you is love Remind yourself to love all things No matter the color, shape, or size EVERYTHING NEEDS LOVE.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 25

Are You White? Isabella Romero

I am not tan from the sun of my island, But I have Bachata flowing through my blood. They ask me, “Are you white?” ask me why I have fair skin, green eyes. Being pale Latina means that I am too dark And not dark at all. I am too Latina to be white and too white to be Latina. But I am still told to put on more sunscreen at the beach. Look at her long brown hair and skin They think, How exotic. How beautiful. But me, I am a white girl, a gringa, a pocha. My skin doesn’t make me Latina enough. I embrace my culture. I speak its language, Eat its food. As far as I’m concerned I am just as Latina as she is. No one can deny me of that. Oh, and by the way, No, I am not white.

26 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

Love and Hate Melissa Ferreira

Why do you care? When I walk around calmly Why do I care? With my big curly hair and dark brown eyes. Why do you hate when you can love? Why is there so much hate? Some people don’t know me but still talk I get it; people will always try and pick your problems and make you feel bad. It doesn’t matter anymore there’s so much a person can take before it explodes like a bomb. I’m so kind and truly generous I will help you and care for you even though you can be the person that broke me. I thank you for making me the person I am today. And teaching me to not let words get to me. After all they are just words. I’m Dominican and I’m so proud and nobody, I mean nobody, can take that away from me. I wake up thanking God for another day. It not so bad to feel good about yourself. Always be yourself.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 27

Fruit Basket Melissa Gomez

I’m sorry if I don’t meet Your unrealistic standard of beauty, Because you want me to be slim like a stick But plump as a plum. In this fruit basket I call a world, Women can be any fruit they desire With all sorts of different body types. They can be curvy like a pear Round as an apple Or thin like a banana. Like fruits, Humans are organic Flawed Imperfect And unpredictable. Not all apples have a polished ruby red color, Nor do all bananas have a freckle-free, solid yellow color. Imperfections are what make us human They do not make us Any less beautiful. Accept me as who I am. With all my flaws. I may not take first place in a county fair, But this oblong pear Could be the sweetest one If you only give me a chance.

28 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

Untitled Denise Ramon

Mexico isn’t just tortillas and beans. Mexico is not like a sunny summer day. Mexico has many different stories Like a novella without happy endings. In Mexico many dreams are wished to come true But every day, one dream is taken away Even if they are halfway there. Many Mexican wishes are for a better life in the USA. But here we are In the USA Where every Mexican dreams to be. Life is not easy here while a diablo Is trying to take all dreams at once Like stealing a candy from a baby. You’re hating on us ‘cause of the skin we are born with, Judging us ‘cause our skin color don’t look in, Treating us like slaves, as if we aren’t humans, But instead like trash and animals. We are humans and deserve the same respect. Selling drugs isn’t the best job But mother needs medicina. Even El Chapo had dreams but started on the wrong path. We all have our own novellas.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 29

It’s Not Easy Erin Evertsz

It’s not easy to be a person in a town you grew up in Being gay isn’t a choice I didn’t wake up one day and say, “Hey I’m gonna be gay from now on” It was given to me since birth It gave me a few years to figure it out Dating boys because I was in denial of the truth My brothers and sister who were victims The Stonewall....a place to be themselves Bullied by cops, soon stood up to them to fight for their rights It wasn’t easy Being black isn’t a choice I didn’t wake up and say, “Hey I’m gonna be black today” I’m proud to be black Our history just shows how strong we are It took generations to get where we are Martin Luther King, Jr. Rosa Parks Harriet Tubman All fought for the rights of black people We still don’t get that much respect Our...life, it wasn’t easy It’s not easy being black and gay When people don’t accept who you are Whether you’re a different color Whether you’re a different sexuality It’s not easy being a stranger in a new town.

30 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

The “Dark One” Toniann Quick

Left out and different I was always the “dark one” When I would visit my mom’s side They would make jokes “Aw, look at your little black girl” “I wonder what you would look like white” I stood out like a sore thumb with family, in school Left alone, lonely Nobody understood the real me The mixed me I love my mom and dad, but when will they get me Who I am Who I want to be Yes, I am “mixed” Yes, I am a “mixed breed” as some say I will continue to say it and flaunt it Like a sea lion showing off his new trick When asked what I am I’ll say a person a human a girl and from there, my darkness will shine as bright as the sun

LISTENING TO THE TREES 31

What It Mean to Be Black Sudani Ausby

To be or not to be Black My momma say it goes: White man Black man White woman Black woman See how it’s always last It’s because America doesn’t see Color But they’ll see my pigment And of course assume I was Ign’ance Don’t you know you’ve never Fit their standard Years go by and you think you’re Getting more beautiful Getting closer to what seems to run Every time you think you’ve made it My chocolate be good, just as good as the next Just think of my chocolate Let your mouth water and maybe You’ll say something nice My chocolate be sweet, strong But this chocolate be locked away Because society needs a different

32 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

Way to ease its pain That lady gonna say, “She pretty, but” And that man gonna say, “She fine, but” No need to fill in the blank Seems that every year An evolution of words describes us But no evolution to describe White America A “Threat,” they say that too I try to prevail, but when I preach I only hurt their ears Church don’t live here, but My words mean something Just let me be your preacher For tonight Be the knight that leads An army of newcomers Be the president that leads a New America And be a female that changes it all I guess that’s what it mean To be Black, right?

LISTENING TO THE TREES 33

Brown Girl in a Colorful World Tatyanna Terry

Sometimes I think about why some people are so closed-minded, racist, and stereotypical… Why are people so quick to assume Just because I’m brown with long curly hair like a spring on a mattress doesn’t mean it’s a perm or weave Then they want to ask, “Are you mixed?” Yes, I’m black, Hispanic, and white More diverse than a yin-yang symbol And no I’m not Dominican, I’m Honduran

34 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

Everyone Cringes Jocelyn Negron

Why is it when people hear the word “gay” everyone cringes? Why is it when a boy becomes a girl he becomes cast away from the world as if he is not human? Why is he seen as a weed in a group of sunflowers? Why is it! When a girl comes out as pan! Everyone cringes? Everyone sees her as broken glass that is shattered in too many pieces to fix! Does she like boys? Does she like girls? She has to pick...Why do we make her DEAL with it? Why is it that when people hear that he is bi everyone cringes? The voices of people he loves saying that he can’t ever get married because He won’t know what he wants! Why is it people see his wedding ring and think he will leave his wife in the breeze of the wind? Why is it when I stand up for them everyone cringes? Is it because I see them as human? Is it because I don’t see them as humans outside of their own? I see him as Mel. I see her as Jasmine. I see him as Dan. Why is it when they smile America cringes? But my heart smiles back...

LISTENING TO THE TREES 35

Colorless Amanda Batista

Black or white? What’s the difference? My mom is white, but I am darker. I may not look like her, but my DNA is half and half. I see this like a fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather—you never know what punches may be thrown. Surrounded by ignorant people that always focus on the outside; do you see the inside? I’m always the main attraction when I’m around them. “Dominicans are rachet.” “Dominicans are loud.” “Dominicans this, Dominicans that.” Their words slap my body like a concrete ball, but they don’t affect me. Why focus on where we are from; do you see me or do you just see the word “Latino” written across my face?

36 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

Sexism at Its Finest Sharlenne Badia

Donald Trump our president or should I say our destroyer He is cruel and abusing with his words and actions He says he makes us great But we’re all great and beautiful. Like an animal Trump is He’s accomplished much, but that’s over He has treated us like we’re animals Yet we fight and stand together as a whole to fight against Trump But why can’t we be nameless, careless, shameless, and together become one? He says we are neither smart or beautiful I say we are, and we prove it time after time Mister Trump is ignorant and unqualified We don’t deserve such embarrassment We are like lions; we must stay Be one as a pack. Donald Trump is a cruel and ruthless man He is a tiger eating helpless ones He says he’ll make America great again I say we’ve been great and don’t need him We’re beautiful in each way and we are the world.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 37

Black Beauty Akeilya James

So I’ll be perfect if I’m not me? If I changed the nose that “looks like it melts into my face” Or straightened my beautiful curls The hair that made you notice my roots “You’re so pretty for a black girl” “You must be mixed” I will not take those compliments I will not blush or giggle They are nothing but disrespect You call me something I am not Adjusting me so I meet your standards Plain black beauty can’t look this good Can’t be this smart Is my race not beautiful to you? Isn’t beauty based on more Than having just a pretty face? I have a pretty heart Pretty mind And beautiful soul I have all the qualities of a black girl Strong and beautiful Full of “brown sugar, Honey, cocoa, and gold. And the strength of ten thousand moons”

38 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

Listen

Samantha Wieland Lie to yourself about this You will forever lie to yourself about anything Do not hide who you are Do not be ashamed for who you are As a culture, We are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns Than holding hands Love knows no straight arrow or crooked alleyway Fear of judgment Fear of ridicule Fear of abandonment We must make an effort to accept one another Stand proud For you are strong You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to make them understand Defying boundaries of love itself There are no boundaries

LISTENING TO THE TREES 39

Being a Woman Remy Skrzypek

Does it have to be like this again? Robbing us of our rights Turning the other cheek when we speak They go about their days, buttoned up suits and ties We worry every step of the day Does it have to be like this again? They get to adventure We have to stay in They can think out loud We have to think before we speak Never underestimate We are the ones who carry the next generation We are the role models; the streets are our runway We are the ones who can speak up Never underestimate We do it all sometimes We will stick together Like fearless wolves in a pack We are confident, independent women

40 Yes,â&#x20AC;&#x2026;We Are Also Human Beings

Echoes

Glorianny Reyes The rise in a woman’s attention will not cause the fall of men like skyscrapers. A woman is like a man. Both can be taught and combined to be one and learn from each other’s mistakes. We are still shackled Women don’t have choices. We are strolled around by men, like dogs on leashes or babies in carriages. Both men and women work the same amount of hours. However, one is left hanging with a hand of cents. But we are still shackled Women are not property. We should have the courage to walk outside and feel free like dandelions, blown by the wind without a man getting a hold of us, like we depend on them for our every need. But we are still shackled Women are educated. But left with no respect. We are like flashlights without batteries, left alone in the dark. But yet, here we are shackled… in silence waiting for our echoes to be turned into a voice.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 41

In Your Mind Sydney Rivera

Just because I’m Hispanic doesn’t mean I’m an immigrant. Even if I was a problem, let me go in your mind. What do you see in me? You judge a book by its cover. Let’s go deeper. You have these wires in your mind that tell you stay away from the supposed worthless people who come here to mess things up for all of us. Let’s go deeper. You never experienced someone like me who hurt you before, but you have heard it before: “Stay away of other people who are not our kind.” Let’s go deeper. I don’t understand why but you categorize lives, the different class levels from rich to poor. So. Now accept people for who they are. Don’t listen to others; people are supposed to unite and care for each other, not put one another down like a ball being thrown on the ground. Love don’t hate.

42 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

Caramel Girl Nia Portes

The difference between you and me I’m a caramel girl Accepted by minority races Skipping steps to the top The difference between you and me I can feel at home I can find people to reconcile with But I cannot Shatter walls put up by others Political boundaries I cannot cross Unforgiving issues unresolved She’s a book filled with illegal crimes Living in a world still being designed Judged for her looks She’s been shook to her spine Credit cards being flipped Dollar bills start to incline She calls it sick Sick for the kind Social justice A play of the mind She’s shaking Not fine People talk but cannot say her name Mexicans, they say, they all look the same Ignorant by not thinking of others She’s grouped as a Minority lover

LISTENING TO THE TREES 43

Not a Man’s World Ashly Compres

I am with her; she is with me Empowering, I know Empowering like the first time you rode a bike, When you first defied gravity, Or even your first time driving a car. This could be a new beginning For women around me Women around you Women around the world. A new beginning, This may be a man’s world, But it is nothing without a woman. Light a candle to cure the darkness of Ignorance? Is it inequality? Or is it just injustice? Men are superior to women in society. But why? Because in any man’s victory There is a woman behind him Because in any man’s collapse, There’s always a woman hooked Hooked, hooked to him like a freshly broken heart Because this may be a man’s world, But it would be nothing without a woman. I repeat.

44 Yes, We Are Also Human Beings

Achievement after achievement, Success after success, Women are still being degraded To this day Still insignificant And to this day still unappreciated. I want to live Live in a world where I am Not degraded, In a world where I am Appreciated for my soul and mind, Not my body. I want to live Live a life Where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to Fly, like a bird.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 45

Why Throw Water at a House That Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Burning

Red Roses

Izabela Jaramillo Black hands Drenched in blood Dripping in the concrete Like the petals of a rose falling. The strong hands, now still. Lifeless. Tears wept from the mother’s Eyes, Her screams alarm. Her pain grows, for her only son Who was just walking on the street. Reached in his pocket For his phone. Of course, he was “up to no good.” The ones with the golden badges, Which represented Liberty Pulled their triggers, No warning. No liberation here. The street that was paved black, Now

48 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

Filled with the petals of red roses, In memory Of the innocent boy. What became of this world that Was the Garden of Eden So beautiful, before the innocence was taken. Now the valley of death, The innocent are being taken away. Tears from thousands Leave a print And a headline in the papers. Last week was a different name, Different headline Different rose petals from the one before. Lives taken, lives matter. And yes, All lives matter. But why throw water at a House that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t burning.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 49

She, He, Them; Savannah Brown

“She’s a pig,” he yelled “No respect for women,” she said “I am a young woman,” I plead “Vote for me,” he screamed “You’re a girl,” they tell us “That’s a man’s job,” they say Funny thing is Without us They have no name Names aren’t really important Nowadays Anyways It’s all about the color Then Bang-Bang! They have Bullets…no gun Stage…no audience Body with draining blood It’s like having A mouth But no voice And worst Of all All of the above Always guilty Without a choice It’s become more clear Because Of their

50 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

Inherited pigment They can be Killed Targeted And No one Can help Because the “Heroes” Are the ones doing the crime Any day At Any time Bodies lay there Lifeless And Still Just like mannequins Behind the protective window But real-life mannequins aren’t Really protected Instead they are Used and abused And left in a Storage room

LISTENING TO THE TREES 51

See from My Eyes Amir Evans

Nigger. That word left the cop’s mouth so swiftly, as if he uses the word like he uses water. Should I retaliate? No, because that’s a promised death. Even following what he says wouldn’t work, because all they want is to rid this world of black people. Going out after dark never crosses my mind. What happens if I encounter a policeman? No one would see me get harassed. No one would hear my cry for help. I’d be the next victim, and a cop would be the next hero. Deep down in a black male’s eyes lies the fear of cops. They promise to protect us, but the fear won’t ever stop.

52 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

Walking past policemen gives me chills. It’s like walking past a vicious pack of wolves, waiting for them to pounce. My body gets covered in chills as I walk past them; I shouldn’t feel this way while walking past people who “keep the streets safe.” While they think they’re making the world a better place, we all see that they’re making it into a morgue, with all the bodies they leave behind. Anyone can look through my eyes and see the terror of encountering a boy in blue.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 53

Destroy the Silence Taylor Singleton

The color of violence is Black I am trapped in a desert Of gun wounds America has its own ISIS Which is called The police department “STOP!” Don’t let bullets speak for you How many young black lives Have to be taken? Don’t you understand We need change! It’s 2016 And I want to stop counting My fingers are bleeding All the lives we have lost Trayvon Martin Eric Garner All innocent lives taken Because of police officers

54 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

People say, You are nobody Until you get killed By somebody Seems like a new officer is assigned to make us famous We said, We wanted the world to know our names This was not what we meant How much of our blood does whiteness need To become colored This silence must be Destroyed

LISTENING TO THE TREES 55

i, too, deserve justice Iris Jeffries

the color of my “intimidating” skin should not affect the way the authorities treat me. tomorrow, i should not be afraid to encounter police just because my skin speaks and it says, i am innocent; i am equal my skin tells the stories of misunderstanding genocide and mass incarceration of my race. but the pigs disagree they squeal, “stop resisting!” as we panic for our lives constantly we’re looked down upon our men get gunned down and our women get pushed around often being the big black thunder cloud of society. obnoxious and rude bougie and far from prude bereft of morals, education vocabulary.

56 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

they hate my blackness they will whip lynch and beat the hell out of me until i surrender maybe not even then. meanwhile, the lighter the shade the higher the wage it will never be fair my people will forever be stuck in a cage all men and women were created equal human, we are, united and black we stand. and finally we put our foot down sometimes violently sometimes silently but i, too, deserve justice

LISTENING TO THE TREES 57

To Stay Warm Max Antonio

Winter is right around the corner It’s hoodie season It doesn’t mean I’ll be having a knife and stabbing you I’m not going to take your life away It’s cold out; I need to stay warm like a bear in the cold I listen to hip hop, hang out in the streets and wear hoodies So stereotypes are the norm Cops stop me because I wear a hoodie Have I done anything, sir? I’m just heading home, sir Sir, why stop me? It’s cold out, sir It’s hoodie season, sir I’m not responsible for everyone who committed a crime Dear cops, Just because I wear a hoodie doesn’t make me a suspect, make it a problem, ‘cause wearing a hoodie isn’t Winter is right around the corner, it’s hoodie season It doesn’t mean I’ll be having a knife and stabbing you I’m not going to take your life away It’s cold out; that’s the only reason why I’m wearing a hoodie

58 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

Body

Albania Valerio She gets told her shoulders are too much to handle Her bra strap is unnatural Her chest is ungodly a rose imperfect, it’s called the female body “don’t show your thighs, you’re distracting boys.” no ripped jeans no belly button seen She gets blamed for being harassed cat-called, and She snaps back She gets blamed for wearing Her little black dress and getting touched without permission they strip her of her clothes She cries in pain days later She once again gets blamed never lets a rape define her strong, and wild, and free She stands proud in the wind just like a tree She has the female body

LISTENING TO THE TREES 59

American in America Brianna Simpson

Black women in America with beautiful chocolate babies skin as soft as a rose. Cries as beautiful on the waves on a beach at night. Smile as bright as an angel but as dark as the devil. These babies will grow up into grown black men and independent black women. Black men can be successful they can be the next Kanye West They can be corner drug dealers but momma tell ‘em don’t do it. Ya life will be taken Your soul will be snatched The world is not safe For a young man of your race. Yet later that day, You do it anyways and moms standing in the streets crying over their babies’ still bodies Blood pouring out the body, like a cup of spilled juice These beautiful babies killed over drugs and money Over the tone of their skin. The language of their bodies, the tone in their voices the expression of their faces. Their names given at birth now etched on their tombstones Now six feet under the earth.

60 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

Hear My Voice, Don’t See My Gender Melanie Canela CATHOLICISM A word that’s supposed to be inviting, But scares many people away. Women who embrace their bodies are frowned upon For showing too much skin, Body shamed and stuck as an example of how not to live By the almighty Church. Compared to the ancestors of long-gone grandmothers, Showcasing perfection of long skirts down to their ankles. We are taught to be accepted and accept Any unnatural fate, But can’t even feel comfortable with the shameful stares of the Religious community. AS WE DANCE WITH THE STARS TESTING THE FAR BEYOND, We are cemented to the close-minded thoughts of generations Of the past, Stuck in a cloud of judgment Chained to the views That don’t contain DREAMS, HOPE, CHANGE for WOMEN’S EQUALITY. SOCIETY shames us too. Frowned upon for not following the book of destiny Frowned upon for not being like the rest Shamed upon for disgracing the family name. Ignored as if we were a disease Contagious like the flu. Everybody unknown that we just want equality too. Minorities in the eyes of many Challenging the fate. Thrown into the COLISEUM of the world Left to be killed by the ignorance of others, When all we need is someone to listen To OUR VOICES NOT LOOK AT OUR GENDER. LISTENING TO THE TREES 61

All a Blur Kaitlyn Cruz

Two differences I was the similarity From two different extremes crossing oceans, walking over air I am still one of all Not a picture-perfect image there were cracks in the screen and blur in the eyes it’s what I called “different” what I call “unique” Grew up light in a world so dark biracial and never the same Family was all I had but never said it was together No one can see what’s behind a closed door, not forced to take off the lock or open the door Crying behind the door, smiling at the window It’s like walking through the rain on a sunny day but every raindrop falls only on you You are a girl in a society of men Boys can stand Boys can play Boys can run but girls cannot we sit as boys stand nurture while boys foster Suffer while they enjoy But she isn’t me

62 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

Can’t walk the streets without someone trying to get you in the sheets A rap to your call, Beautiful, shawty swing my way Yo ma let me show you a good time Don’t pay mind keep your head high Look back; show him the time, and the block knows your vibe Trust is broken Trust has died ‘Kay don’t mess with him it’s not the right time He’ll do you grimey Put dirt on your name, use you for your innocence but the words of wisdom wisdom from a brother running the game was wisdom I chose not to take. Exposed stripped of identity nothing left but my brother “I told you so” Young and naive I didn’t know I came from two but I wanted to be one Taught the game, lived and ran it but the game was no longer a game Living in a world so cold I worry that my brother won’t come home seeing so many die so young ride for the bros die for the bros Not taken to reality until reality takes them watching him fly high, up in the sky wondering why you had to die with a tear in my eye crossing my mind, I know I wasn’t so kind but why did my big brother have to die?

LISTENING TO THE TREES 63

I still show him I could shine; he isn’t left behind I was with you; I could’ve stopped it. But what could a little girl do? That look of disappointment, but his smile shined through his smile is imprinted to my mind like a tattoo is imprinted to skin May not see what I saw but I’ll always remember the day my big brother had to die Dodging bullets seeing your brother behind bars orange jumpsuit, tagged number Are you coming home? Heard the shots, knowing he was there I was there. Didn’t know it was him or another a yelp for my name and a collapse to the floor oh why did my brother have to die? Hustle in the streets, helping the family Risking your life—is it worth the fight? walking through a cloud of gray Your brother, father, friend My brother, father, friend it will all remain a blur in my eyes but why did my big brother have to die.

64 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

LISTENING TO THE TREES 65

B-A-N-G

Meyah Douglas B-A-N-G That’s the sound that scared me I shouldn’t have added the “-ed” Because that sound is still scary Fear is what they have instilled in me I’m scared to talk, hang, walk in the street But clearly I have to move on with my life Don’t stay out late at night Don’t argue; don’t fight If you’re wanted, book a flight The care they have for us is slight Don’t stare; don’t glare Don’t sneeze; don’t cough; don’t wheeze When they tell you to stop You better freeze Because the last thing you’ll ever hear is POW Your last word being Owww And bystanders saying Wow Your family wonders why Ya mother wants justice as she stands in the court But all she can hear is lies, lies, lies And her voice cracks as she cries Yelling, “Why did my black child have to die?” Our kids grow up thinking that they are heroes That they are supposed to help us But they’ve lost our trust They said they needed to shoot They had to because it was a must

66 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

On our faces are looks of disgust But they are supported by the law, The government, and everyone Except for us By us I mean the blacks They want to delete us Erase our tracks But looking back We were the start, the very first But as time went on things went downhill Things got worse We are confused and don’t know how to feel We don’t know if this is a nightmare or if it is real Everything we do they steal Plagiarize Look at the little girl who lost her dad With tears running out of her eyes Every night her father looks down on her From the heavens, from the skies And has to hear her cries While we are asking why To all of those deceased Rest in peace ‘Cause you will remain in our memory

LISTENING TO THE TREES 67

Love Isn’t Expensive Natalie Veloz

She woke up Got ready for school Kissed her parents goodbye Clicked on Facebook Snapchat Twitter “Tranny,” “Freak,” “Psycho,” “Abomination to the world” Why couldn’t they fathom they she wasn’t a boy, but a girl? More and more, she became suicidal Not knowing God loved her regardless, In the Bible She never stopped believing that she was truly female But this came with consequences The boys bullied her They never seemed to stop talking She closed her eyes Ran toward an abyss in her thoughts Only to realize There was a dead-end As she walked home The breeze softly sang in her ear When something caught her eye It was the sight Of a man cruelly getting beaten by a police officer She watched as people recorded Which was nothing new Because if you didn’t post this or that It was end of the world No one bothered to help nor stand up for him

68 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

Violence is a python Trapping its prey, squeezing tight Until every last bit of life has been pulled From its victim’s mouth She was naive to listen to something non-living She was stronger than a Midol Stronger than a pistol Bulletproof like a crystal But quiet like a mouse She didn’t see that She was the light of her mother’s and father’s lives A white rose in a bouquet of red A sky full of stars, every time she smiled But instead, she always frowned Like millions more in our country She was treated with inequality and hate Hate is an addiction Spread positivity Not negativity Because after all, Love isn’t expensive

LISTENING TO THE TREES 69

Why?

Maxine Sowah Muhammad Ali said hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. It’s just plain wrong. So then why, every couple months, do you hear that a person of color has been brutally shot by the police? Why should a person of color be like a lamb to be slaughtered? Why should race and religion separate us like laundry? Why should our race determine who we are as people? Why must people of Iranian or Iraqi descent automatically be classified as “terrorists”? Why should a black person back in the day have to give up his or her seat on a bus for a white person? Why should black women be shunned for their natural features, while white women are praised for them? Why do white women get compliments for their “sunkissed” tans, while black women are taunted for being naturally dark? What is wrong with diversity? Why can’t we all become one?

70 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

Justice to Be Served Bryanna Dennis

Dressed in all black, we cry in anger Why Trayvon Martin? Why Sandra Bland? Why Eric Garner? Why Mike Brown? We just want justice to be served We just want racism to be stopped We protest in New York, Georgia, Louisiana We yell, “We want justice!” We scream, “Black lives matter!” We destroy anything; we burn everything Our dreams rising up like smoke Our anger is like a rampaging bull We sing, “Black lives matter” all in sync We are an angry choir We just want justice to be served We just want racism to be stopped We just want police brutality to stop. Make it stop. Please.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 71

Wrong Black Boy Oriel Allsop

Will my brother make it home tonight? Or will he be shot walking home from the corner store with a 99-cent Arizona bottle that will be mistaken for a gun? Just another Trayvon Martin. Will my brother make it home tonight? Or will nine police officers beat him in a jail cell? Just another Omar. Will my brother make it home tonight? Or will the police tase him until he is near dead and his heart stops beating for eight minutes? Just another Bryce Masters. Will my brother make it home tonight? Or will he be shot for being mistaken for the wrong black boy? Just another Darrius Stewart. Will my brother make it home tonight? Or will he be caught at the wrong place at the wrong time? Just another Donnell Thompson. Will my brother make it home tonight? Or will he become part of a hashtag Black Lives Matter? Just another Michael Brown. Will my brother make it home tonight? Or will he be put in a choke hold and make it to a casket instead? Just another Eric Garner. Will my brother make it home tonight? Or will he be shot while handcuffed? Just another Jamar Clark. Will our brothers make it home tonight? Or will our mothers be called by the hospital to ID their little black boys?

72 Why Throw Water At A House That Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Burning

Is There an End? Janna Barrera

Within our society we have many things you could say about one another Everyone fighting against each other for what’s right and what’s wrong Shots fired, these opinions are our enemy “you have to be skinny to be pretty” or “you’re black; you aren’t privileged” these bullets of words go right through our head. Continuous war throughout the news, social media, the public which are our enemy Those who are involved in the negative atmosphere chose not to make the world better like a disintegrating home. Most of society view each other and comment on the negative because they believe we’re needed to be built to their standards It’s as if a storm of rejection went around the world. We seek to find the right words to speak we seek to find the beginning of race, sexuality, and appearance positivity We seek to find our justice We seek to find the end.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 73

Untitled

Chelsea Martinez This place I call home is unbearable Different people getting killed People not having the same rights as others Because people feel threatened. Every year the leaves fall naturally As the names on the news pop Up as a constant thing. All this, because they’re not white In my opinion, to me color just makes you unique. If you ask me I say that we as A nation are going backwards instead of forwards. Just look at what this has Come to: everyday people have to be Careful of what they say or do Because they could end up dead. “Injustice,” “cruelty” Are words that come to mind When I hear about all these young lives taken The cruelest part of it all is the big Word as murder is life out Of jail, NO I lied. The cruelest part Is watching those mothers suffer And get no justice, and leaving Them there like spoiled milk. We keep thinking America Is getting better without thinking Of these lives being lost And for what? I have no idea why...

74 Why Throw Water At A House That Isn’t Burning

Untitled

Angelina Ivelis Mejia People like to say they will only judge others by their actions not by the color of their skin do the police think the same way? No The police hunt black people down like hound dogs hunt rabbits biting their hands off burying the bodies forgetting they exist The shades of blue donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see color they only see white white can do no wrong so they turn a blind eye to the hate crimes the name calling the danger that black people have to endure In fear they walk down alleys of shame and terror only to be met with barbed wire and have their voices turned mute.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 75

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Destroy Them with Our Words

Equality Jocelyn Flores

Our lives matter; our rights matter No matter our race or ethnicity, we should be treated with equality No matter if we’re male or female, we should be treated with equality No matter if we’re born in America or just came to visit, we should have the freedom to come and go whenever we please No matter what we’re wearing, we shouldn’t be stopped and frisked because of a suggestion No matter if they won’t listen, we shouldn’t have to fight or commit a crime in order to grasp their attention No matter what they think of us, we will stand up tall like a tower of giraffes They’ll try to destroy us with their weapons But we’ll destroy them with our words

78 We’ll Destroy Them With Our Words

If a Tree Falls Daana Johnson

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around, does it make a sound? If the man that cuts the tree denies his crime, does that make him innocent? Of course the man is in power, so he ignores the cries of the other trees Why is the man more important than the tree if the tree gives him what he needs to live? Do we put more emphasis on the life of one man killed by a fallen tree? Or do we focus on the hundreds of trees taken by man? The trees cry and shout but with all their might cannot escape their execution by man A tree has no voice; that is what the trees realize Day by day a new tree falls, and their shouts and pleas are silenced by the man Their branches swing violently and leaves hang low, but no one hears them The only one who can hear them is the man, who continues to execute them one by one, until the trees can only cower and shrink when the man arrives, And so the man continues his crime and the shrinking trees can only weep silently If a tree falls and no one but the culprit hears it, does it make a sound? We believe what the man in power tells us, never listening to the trees; Their cries are constantly silenced, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never know If the tree makes a sound when it falls

LISTENING TO THE TREES 79

Weeping Multitude Kiarah Tsa’i Brown Christie

Don’t tell me you understand the suffering I undergo Day by day In this IVORY society You portray the worst of a systematic oppressed part of my being Where my brothers and sisters are dehumanized Due to never-ending history of the ebony blood That paves the grounds I walk, the same blood that forcefully built The land of the free and the home of the brave I may be trapped in my ebony self Due to the IVORY prejudice that follows my being But I am brave My knotted, distracting hair is beauty; my ebony skin is kinship The bursting flames of Latina that burn within me Ignited by the rich historic part of myself That guides me This so-called “monkey,” “charcoal” will shine brighter than the gold stolen From those I share a kinship with but may never meet You have destroyed my history, continuously shape, if I may or May not use the privilege of IVORY colonialism And racist ignorance to excuse yourself I shine without shame; my visage is that of a Negro, Latina And a strong woman who will not stop fighting Every breath and fiber of this big-lipped, full nappy-haired Will fight until there is no longer a need to fight Once I become your equal Not your inferior Once the lost history and shed blood

80 We’ll Destroy Them With Our Words

Caused by a transatlantic trade that marked my enslavement That has written the history I must live generations ago Today, too, I thank the diaspora of my ancestors As the reason my heart beats With the rhythmic energy and the Indigenous chants That makes me the Latina Black Mestiza I am today As I will rewrite the destiny written for me Generations ago Glorifying my history And ebony self You may write me down in history With your acerbic, depraved self You may squash me â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;til I crumble But still, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll shine bright like the stars I will shine brighter than the gold stolen From those I share a kinship with but may never meet Does my pride offend you? Does it shake you? To see how shamelessly I continue to glorify my spirit I am the truth of what this society shamefully created You keep dehumanizing my culture In this IVORY society you keep portraying the worst Of a methodical part of my being Some way Some how We all dream of living in a utopian world For my brothers and sisters that seemed like a faraway dream That they would never be able to reach This dystopian world was built upon the shed blood of my ebony skin

LISTENING TO THE TREES 81

Hispanics Remember Mia Dejesus

I remember being small, and curly hair was as cute as a button I remember being small and asked, why can’t Hispanics grow tall? I remember being small, and speaking Spanish meant being smart I remember when having a tan was a beautiful skin tone People grew up and so did their minds

They say curly hair is a waste of time They say tanned skin isn’t fine They say, “Don’t speak too much Spanish or else they’ll mind” They’re trying to find a way to draw a line

They held onto their parents like a rope Donald Trump becomes president, and he says “nope” He wants to build a wall and end it all See Hispanics fall Hispanics remember Hispanics know In 10 years I’ll remember But right now I hate that I know

82 We’ll Destroy Them With Our Words

LISTENING TO THE TREES 83

A Glitch in the System Soraya Khan

My waterlogged ears have been cleared And the duct tape that once silenced me Has been removed. I am tired of our society and its corrupt “ideals” Why are the societal standards created by the majority, Over the minority, When the minority is really the majority? When the next census is taken, Millions of undocumented immigrants will flood our system From all over the world. Yet only the Mexicans and Asians and Africans Will come up in the news. With how much the media puts out about us people of color You’d think there weren’t any whites left in America. But all the news is negative. The generation of hatred, that’s who we’ve become. All of our innovations and positivity put to shame By our destructive nature towards our own. And not because they did anything wrong. No, no. Because they can simply get a tan Without getting sunburned or carrot orange. Because their hair is dark and thick with lavish curls and waves. Because they’re finally tired of living under “White oppression” and White privilege and White power We are not white

84 We’ll Destroy Them With Our Words

From a young age we are told, “Brown is the ugliest crayon out of the whole box,” Then we look down at our skin and see Brown. Self-hatred has been rooted in our brains, and the weed grows. Living as a brown crayon in a white crayon box We tried to blend in, paint ourselves over, But the system was wrong. If all the colors together make brown, Why is the box white? The glitch was formed; We learned to accept and embrace the brown And made our own brown crayon box. If you never got the memo #BLACKLIVESMATTER is not to be portrayed as #yourracedoesntmatter But more like #Icanbringmyraceupwithoutputtingyoursdown Like #myracecanstrikefearinyourheart like the guns You fire at us for simply following your orders, Like #youcantsuppressmeanylonger Because of my #eyes or #culture or #life Because #Ican’tbreathe, will breathe again. We are the caged bird released, We soar across the sky singing, We are one, The time has come Yet they still try to shoot us down.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 85

The Final Cut? Tensi Masuda

They call it news, LIVE, or “What’s going on today.” But is it? The news, a constantly developing film, each one becoming more elaborate than they were before, with every headline they generate more chapters to the story, more characters introduced. Presenting our world as they choose to see it, feeding it to us, as if all of reality could be captured with a short clip and a segment of a script, teleprompter and all. Rolling. Recording begins, actors move into place, dialogue starts, lines being read, memorized— focus. Focus on the subject, foreground background, blur out what’s not in the spotlight. Deemed unimportant, not worthy. Cut! But the camera keeps rolling the actors keep acting. They’re not acting anymore! No script to stick to, impromptu, unpredictable, real. Edit The step-two step to complete. Perfect, all the colors right, all the right angles, shots composed perfectly, A roll B roll, perfect cuts and perfect shots, set up like toy dolls in a scene, 86 We’ll Destroy Them With Our Words

a moving painting. Just right, as intended. All clean, no faults. Playback Review the final product; it’s good; it’s nice; it’s just what we wanted. This will sell. Everyone will love it! Rewind But nothing moves backwards only forwards, can’t take back the actions of the past. The present everlasting flowing forever like a stream with no source can only view what’s happened. Past unalterable, set in the stone we call data. Inspect. Pick it all apart. See the faults in the so-called “perfect.” Reality is imperfect. Small cracks, minuscule, in the vast smooth surface of our world. Now look back. Roll, cut, edit, review, inspect. Quite familiar now? But, but but but! Maybe all of reality can be summed up into footage, behind one lens and one camera. We are all directors, filmmakers. Everything from 4K to barely okay, a twenty-second clip, recorded on a phone. Seen by millions across the globe, heard about by even more. But, It is our responsibility as creators of these moving documents of life to prevent them from being twisted; perverted and exploited, used to convey messages or ideas that they were not intended to. Motion picture. Created for us to document motion, preserve humanity. We stand and record things we deem worthy of our attention. But we all miss the same things. Cut.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 87

I Am...Free? Talia Jeffrey

I am me, but am I free? I am colored; I am female; I am free… but I’m held back. I used to think it was over and done, but I am wrong. This time it’s stronger than ever. I hope and pray that one day everyone will say “Let’s let bygones be bygones.” Even before this I am fragile constantly lashed by harsh tongues. When I try to speak I receive looks smiles that tell me I am wrong or not welcomed. I feel judged humiliated for wanting more, like trying to get my point across to let my feelings known. Fragile for being myself, fragile like a porcelain china doll. My eyes, soulless, empty black, tainted by years of embarrassment and shame for the very thing I am. I’ve built myself up like “a wall.” Blacking out unwanted or illegal attention because I am afraid. I am losing grip slipping, screaming, shouting crying, praying, begging for help through my soulless black eyes. Not only judged for me but for my past.

88 We’ll Destroy Them With Our Words

In the yesteryears I couldn’t vote. Not only for the color of my skin but for my gender, my race. I am 1�2 and 1�2 I would have no future because of my past. It would be up to me to change who I am. I can’t I don’t want to because why should I? I am climbing from the cracks of my smooth pearly skin I’m going to break the porcelain walls I’m going to let people in. Whether they like it or not they are going to see the real me because I’m proud I am me. I am proud of who I am I am proud of what I am & everyone else… Deal with it because I am free.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 89

Untitled

Nicole Sylvester It’s something we all do Is it a problem or is it something great? He sang like an angel; I just couldn’t skip it On sun shining days it happens throughout the morning and night But on bad days it’s horrible Everything I see is like sad doves who never found a lover Scrolling through my newsfeed they all act perfect Why is this necessary? We all have our flaws; why not accept it? On the outside they were like pristine glass sculptures But on the inside they’re shattered We share things nobody cares about So we think Turns out they do care About the pointless information It’s all fake love But why do they care? What’s it mean to them? That’s just it; it’s nothing It is nothing and it means nothing That’s the sad truth So it’s something we do We get involved in irrelevant news We give fake love We care about pointless things All because we don’t want to see the harsh realities We disguise the real world in an invisible cloak We carry on in our rainbow-filled, unicorn-dancing, fake world And that’s just it We are the phonies who care about the color of Kim K.’s shirt Rather than the people dying all around us And that right there is the harsh reality

90 We’ll Destroy Them With Our Words

Poems

Lenae Wharton A man’s poem: Ladies should be a house slave ladies are only good for popping babies ladies should look like Kim K. with flat stomachs, big assets, and sizable breasts A society’s poem: You need a Denzel Washington with brains like Einstein, income on Bills Gates’ level, that helps in the community… and loves kids A woman’s poem: I just want a Romeo… to my Juliet A man who loves me… for me...

LISTENING TO THE TREES 91

Not My President Alexis Gonzalez

The joy I had Is now gone The so-called “land of the the free and home of the brave” Is no longer My home This ivory society Is getting stronger And stronger Election Day came Boom! I shook My heart dropped Trump Not my president I no longer call this “the home of the free” Now this is a country with corruption There’s no turning back now Trump is making changes Society is based on hierarchy People don’t care about What he’s done They just didn’t want Hillary Trump has a mind Of his own But He’s like a child A racist

92 We’ll Destroy Them With Our Words

That wants to distinguish Blacks Trump Constantly trying to show the worst And not the good The violence And not the accomplishments I can feel What’s heading our way This world needs to be A better place He thinks if we weren’t born here We are garbage This isn’t true This I will not stand for How dare he We deserve to be In this world as much as he So how can he Not have a heart? Trump makes blacks Look as if they are charred.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 93

The Impact Keena Hall

When we wake up in the morning, we grab our phones We don’t talk; we text and tweet She woke up and saw her video was shared 1k times and Got excited for her soon-to-be Facebook fame But forgot what that brings Long wet tears fall from her face As she reads the comments Social media has torn her apart And made her think less of herself Less important Less human When you wake up in the morning, you study your Bible You re-read everything you may have missed It controls the way we live We follow the styles and trends we see Social media is a weapon of mass destruction It can change the entire world’s point of view With one video When I wake up in the morning, I turn on the news Let’s make a plan to stop being naive and start the awareness Let’s stop being puppets And start being ventriloquists

94 We’ll Destroy Them With Our Words

Let’s Make America Great Again Jayda Colon

“Let’s make America great again” But on televised rants you only promoted HATE For each group of people on which this country was founded HATE To vote is now our right we must do our duty for ancestors who were hosed down and beat Should we be shocked?! America listened Donald Trump won the election? America, land of the free How can this be?

LISTENING TO THE TREES 95

The Worth Ana Yauri Worthless, no use, no talent, mistake. They’re isolated, no one cares, society’s a mess, putting ideas in your head. Alone not alone Alone not alone. People come and go, positive, negative, neutral. Never knowing where to go, or what to do. Sticks and stones may break their bones. But words will never hurt them. You wish. They are their own beauty, in any way, shape, or form. They don’t need you,

96 We’ll Destroy Them With Our Words

They don’t need me, to shine. They’re a star of their own. Don’t ignore them, Don’t play them, Don’t pity them, You’ll regret. You’ll regret ignoring them, playing them, Pitying them They were the bigger person. They had more success than you, Don’t waste your breath, focus on you, not me. The worth, of someone is bigger than you.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 97

Hear Our Cry Kaelyn Figueroa

I may not be African American But I hear my brother’s cry Tears falling down his cheek Like the acid rain to the foggy sky Can you hear the cries? Do you care that you take innocent lives? When will it stop Open your eyes That feeling of hope didn’t last We give up because days pass Just another cloudy day no sun, no shine For our Latinos and Blacks But they don’t hear our cries They hear sirens; it’s music to their ears I bet another brother will suffer Latinos and Blacks come together let’s face our fears They aren’t going to wipe our tears I bet you’re blind when they shoot another brother I bet you’re deaf when a brother screams “Help” Just as shattered glass, my heart’s in pieces When you see us you don’t see success You see color You see violence My stomach forms a knot like the one in his shoelace Will he see another day I think he will.... I think not.

98 We’ll Destroy Them With Our Words

America Is Blocking Our Future Emmy Mosso

They hate when we speak Spanish around them. They call us names like “immigrants.” They discriminate by color, looks, language, and clothing. This place is a home to us. It is a home that has all its needs for us. A home that has a future for us. Donald Trump has said many things to us that weren’t nice. He said, “They are bringing crime, drugs, and they are rapists.” We were mad as a hungry lion attacking its prey. We come here for three reasons: jobs, opportunities, and a better life. Now that Donald Trump is president, we are afraid. We are afraid of being deported and not having a future for us. The wall is an enemy to us. The wall is like a door that is blocking our future. We are tired of people that treat us differently; we are tired of people calling us names. We want to be treated equally like everybody else. We want to be respected. But, most of all, we want justice.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 99

100 Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Destroy Them With Our Words

Your Decision Matters Jaydah Ham

Right now we are all under a deep Impression The century’s biggest election Donald Trump v. Hillary Clinton Are we ready? Rather, are you ready? Candidates! What do you really bring to the table? Nominated, enabled, just another title labeled Social policies! Will the problems we face be fixed or more apologies? America, a melting pot with the haves and have-nots Trump has votes Hillary has votes Who will lead? Vote based on knowledge Vote based on what’s right Make your demands The future is in your hands Soon we’ll see, America will choose Win or lose! The day has come Clear as crystals Something difficult, yet we see through the glass History repeated itself We’re still living in the past With all the talk and chitter chatter Remember, “Your decision matters” Again! They win!

LISTENING TO THE TREES 101

We Are the Warriors

Nameless Love Lyndsey Torres

Don’t give us our rights Just to take them away again Like a piece of candy, stolen from a child You could have proven yourself to the world, America. But instead you gave into hate When all we need is love. Love gives us hope And hope provides happiness That shows we are better than what the others Say, so please… Consider our love, Prove them wrong, Set us free. Drowning in fear, the oceans of torture That suffocate ideas of hope And belittle our dreams of a perfect world… With violence, With blood, With pain, Causing scars that will never fade. So please, don’t take it away. We are the warriors Fighting for peace, Battles that have gone on for decades, That we have won and lost. But this is for sure… We will never stop fighting. As long as we are breathing air, And as long as our open minds spread Throughout the masses, The world will keep evolving. Because we are the minority, The few, Who will change the world For the better.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 105

Our Mark on the World Kelly Jairam

As artists, we have a vision of what we want to see in our next generationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future Through our hopes and dreams, we have an image of love and equality With our voices and our paint brushes We want to make a mark and show where we stand with our vision It takes time and precision to create such a fine piece of work We want to perfect the message we want to display Sketch. Erase. And repeat until we were satisfied with what we have so far We want to bring the beauty of color and variety of mediums in this world of black and white To show that no matter what your skin color, race, sex, ethnicity, religious belief, shape, size, or age is You are equal and will make this world a beautiful place just like everyone else And you will turn this artwork into a masterpiece, a showstopper To achieve this vision, we take action We, as artists, pick up our brushes, pencils, markers, crayons, charcoal and put it to work With our protests and our rallies for equality We color the world one step at a time Our canvas is fully covered with our vision

106 We Are The Warriors

Ready to set and dry and wait for the whole world to see â&#x20AC;ŚOnly to have it smeared by the critics By racists, homophobes, sexists People who hate Who do not like the sight of equality Disrespect expression Do not understand creativity Play by the rules And donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe our hopes and dreams are appealing to the eyes But as artists we stand behind our work with pride We fix it and continue to use the power of our voices, movements, and our brushes Only to make a permanent mark on the world that will stick to our canvas

LISTENING TO THE TREES 107

Standing Strong & Bright in the Night Jane Choe

I’m not someone you’d expect me to be because I’ll be that person who will stand out from the crowd. People always say being different is what makes you unique. If that’s so, then why am I being judged due to the color of my skin? I didn’t judge anyone I am peaceful as the stars of the night. Did I do something so hateful enough to you that you had to hurt me with your ignorant judgments? But that’s why I’ll burst in the night sky, full of darkness, to be that bright, lonely star. I won’t kneel down and beg for mercy because of your hateful words. Because of my tan, yellow skin I was born within because I’m not like the rest and because I was born to be me. This is who I am. If you think you can judge me for my skin color, you can never hold me down forever. You may be the cold night winds that gust through peaks of the mountains, but just like the mountains, I will always stand strong and steady.

108 We Are The Warriors

Colored Queen Affoue-Zaynab N’guessan

I am a Colored Queen Living in a white man’s kingdom I wasn’t expected to Reign for long They say it’s time for Me to give up my magnificent Throne And the thought of that Makes my blood boil like Spells in a witch’s cauldron They try to put my Light out, but I’ll Forever be bright and hot As the scorching African Sun They never for a second Believed I’d rise above Their racial slurs but Here I am sitting high And mighty in my Silky purple Robe I am a Colored Queen So Bow Down!!

LISTENING TO THE TREES 109

Untitled Serena Rivas

You do not get to tell me that I am a boy because my hair is cut in a certain way. You do not get to tell me that I am a girl because I wear a face of makeup every day. You do not get to tell me that I must decide how I identify because I must be tied to a gender, so I lie. I say I’m a girl; that’s how I was born; that’s how I’ll stay. But then I feel trapped in a torturing way; I feel like I can’t breathe in the skin I wear because you decided to judge me based on my hair. You do not get to tell me who I’m allowed to love because of my gender, age, or whether or not I see them as a friend. You do not get to tell me that my orientation isn’t real because asexuality isn’t something your mind can comprehend. You do not get to tell me that I must deny how I feel inside because I will change my mind, when I “grow up,” so I lie. I say nothing when you ask who I fool around with, because if I stay silent, you’ll give up. I feel like I can’t breathe on the earth I tread, because you decided to judge me based on the lack of people in my bed. You do not get to tell me

110 We Are The Warriors

how to feel or how to live my life. You do not get to tell me who I am or how I fight. You do not get to tell me that I am wrong or I am broken. You do not get to tell me I don’t exist or what words I should’ve spoken. When life gives you lemons you make lemonade. When life gives you girls you dress her up in a gown call her a princess but where is that crown? “Sit like a lady” “Your skirt is too short” “Put that ball down; you don’t belong on the court” When life gives you lemons you make lemonade. When life gives you boys he is loved; he is praised for how he was raised he passes your daughter and gives her a wink and this is all you can think “How smooth!” “So cool!” “Oh, boys will be boys” When will you realize, we aren’t toys? So now I say that will come to an end. So one more time: You do not get to tell me how I identify.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 111

War

Ruth Glover Our time has changed, But the people’s eyes did not. We started off being a world of peacefulness But learned how to strip away the culture from one. Living our lives in hate, But trying to keep it together. We tried to keep our hopes up But kept falling down like broken soldier toys. We prayed for our Lord and Savior. Oh! How much did we fight back and rise up Like soldiers at war again. We kept rising up like the hopes we need to Love to keep fighting with power. We never stopped until there was bloodshed. Our time of freedom was finally here. We could finally walk and talk. Now. The time is like a broken clock. It never changes. Nothing moves. Our minds are stuck. tWe’re nothing with numbers. Instead of working together, We’re fighting against each other. We, ourselves, are causing wars now. Every corner is damaged with broken sidewalks We’re still a time of nothing. But our war is still happening We can’t go against each other We need to stand together We need to stick together We need to learn peace and unite!

112 We Are The Warriors

Everybody Is Perfect the Way They Are Chyna Rice

You are perfect The way you are No matter the color of your skin No matter the background you’re from You are perfect The way you are From the freckles on your face To the dimples on your cheek You are perfect The way you are It is wrong to judge A book by its cover, If you have not taken A glance at the pages Everybody is perfect The way they are From the small wrinkles around their eyes To the curls and locks of their hair Everybody is perfect The way they are Doesn’t matter if They’re tall or small Doesn’t matter if They’re big or skinny Everybody is perfect The way they are If you’re male or female Black or white Mixed with a trait Like a butterfly Then you’re born Perfect the way You are.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 113

A Purpose Kayla Kerr

I, too, shout for a purpose The blood of my dead ancestors runs under my skin All of my brothers are dying And I’m left alone in this world But yet their deaths are blamed on The law But I will fight back Just as Tupac going to battle And I speak out And rise above those Unjust laws Tomorrow, The day will be much brighter No more killing of my brothers and sisters Nobody would dare Blame it on those so-called “laws” Because we would fight with a special weapon Education is how we win this battle So powerful Of course we would win this fight We would be so successful

114 We Are The Warriors

Watch, we’ll be just as educated as they are They’ll see how our brain soaks up knowledge like a sponge So educated, smart, and intelligent They’ll see how beautiful our skin is too Like on a beautiful summer day We will blossom like a beautiful flower Oh, how beautiful! I refuse to die out We refuse to die out I will be successful and educated Not only for me, but for us Because I, too, have a purpose

LISTENING TO THE TREES 115

#BLM

Janell Brown Discrimination against African Americans is not something that’s just evolved; it’s been evolving for centuries. Every day a black male is identified as a “criminal” or “rapist.” Why is it bad for a young black boy to go to the store just to buy Skittles and Arizona, wearing a hoodie, on his way home? You don’t see or hear about white folks being shot and their body left still for hours. They aren’t being put in a choke hold, gasping for air, screaming, “I can’t breathe!” Events like this impact the way African Americans look at police officers, the ones who are supposed to be protecting us. “Black Lives Matter” we say; “All Lives Matter” they respond All lives don’t matter if you’re targeting a certain race for trying to be who they are #BlackLivesMatter does not mean other lives don’t. Like people say, “Save the rainforests” They aren’t saying, “Forget all other types of forests.” Yes I am a Negro, Black as the night, and without the black of the night sky What star would ever shine? Black as the depths of my Africa, Black as the shadows we tend to hide Segregation is like a cancer in the body politic, A cancer we must be remove Before our democratic health can be recognized. I am a black woman,

116 We Are The Warriors

Dipped in pure chocolate Skin black and smooth Which shows the perfecting of the sun Built with the strength of ten thousand moons Guiding the hope of the people I am a woman with depths and emotions A black woman with a mindset To be greater than I am perceived to be, Because this black woman has a goal I bloom with bliss and confidence within myself For I am a black woman and wish to be nothing else They don’t expect us to be anything but “criminals” Our voices aren’t being heard unless violence is to occur We don’t want a leader that speaks down to women As if we are objects #DonaldTrump We don’t want a leader that wants to separate us, For we are stronger together. “Noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good” #MartinLutherKingJr

LISTENING TO THE TREES 117

Did You Hear? Renee Birchwood

Did you hear? You know the retired US general that admits military role in creating ISIS? No? What about the 200,000 vets who lost limbs to protect the next generation? Think of a man who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t play catch with his son since he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have arms Now think of a fatherless son who met god on a early visit because he was waiting for health care Did you hear? Chelsea, Oklahoma, left without their knights who proudly wear black & blue because the cops drive with a bitter taste of vodka in their mouths The people are pushed into a freezing swimming pool and drowning because they never learned how to swim their protective ozone layer has been stripped away.

118 We Are The Warriors

Did you hear? The ocean acidification or The extreme weather like icy bullet storms and powerful winds that can pick up a cow thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s connected to global warming? I bet you heard Brad & Angelina are getting divorced or #vinesdead or whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the newest challenge The earth cries out for healing The earth is being tortured by slowly breaking apart Because of your carelessness Did you hear or Are you deaf? Will you act out or Will you be a vegetable? Focus on what is important.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 119

Bring Change Please Nagely Valerio Martine

I am part of a family that doesn’t make up the bulk. Is that why they feel we must not have power? My mother told me one day we’ll be the majority. But then a Dump I mean Trump became president, making yet another rift in our already broken concrete road. Here, the rest just see a lower class an uneducated foreign class. And then they think they have the right to convene and discuss civil liberties of immigrants. As if we just want to be part of the American dream and taste the vow of freedom this country swore to have. But for some reason they act like it’s only meant for them. Did they forget that their forefathers toiled paved their freedom of present-day liberty?

120 We Are The Warriors

So aren’t we all non-natives? We’re just the newbies who have to create our own paved road from broken concrete. However, until we fully pave our road we must promise to keep working hard to prove them wrong. Prove that we’re not all criminals, prove we’re not illegal Prove that we’re not going to let a blockade within a country that is also ours stop us. For we’re here to stay because we, too, are America.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 121

What’s the Difference? Ashney Simmons

Equality, they say we have. Be proud of what the world is now. How? How can we feel like the rest? When statistics say equality ain’t at its best. Yes, I’m black and I’m proud. Prouder than a parent with a successful child. Can you hear me now? I said, I’m black and I’m loud. Louder than a roaring concert crowd. And ain’t nobody going to shut me down. They stare, and they grill like you a different breed, ̀cause you all lovey dovey with the same sex, but damn, what’s the difference? We all have to take the same steps.

122 We Are The Warriors

They see you as weak as a mouse. “You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise you would threaten the man.” But I say I could care less about man, I’m going to prove to you what I can. Equality ain’t small. It ain’t small at all. We can’t do much about it but just stand tall. All of us must fight ‘til we equal. Damn right I support it. No limit, no laws, can leave us voiceless. “Equal” they say.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 123

Social Injustice Courleon McDermott

Confused, Lost, Shaken Foggy, Angry, and Puzzled What now? What do we do when Families are being torn apart With cold, unblinking eyes Watch the separation Without any REMORSE I should be able to get Out of this Thick, massive, white Fog. This confusion, I’ve been through worse He’s going to make history repeat Itself He’s already started to tear it APART This monster has America in its Cold Scaly Sticky hands And America is scared

124 We Are The Warriors

What do we do now? I should be able to get Over this… Right? What do we do? I am confused, Lost, and Puzzled. What do we do? His words have left scars Bumpy Scars But they make me tougher What to do? I can get over this white fog What? We’re not going to let this Stop us…right?

LISTENING TO THE TREES 125

126 We Are The Warriors

Untitled Jaheim Walker

Being colored could come With many perks The perks are not feeling unsafe Being judged in your skin And not ending up in jail Some people think you’re dangerous Because you’re wearing a hoodie like Luke Cage Maybe it looks cool, but when we Wear a hoodie we’re looked Upon like gang members “Don’t judge a book by its cover” You say it’s dangerous to be colored But I say it’s an opportunity to Grow through The concrete and become “the rose That grew from concrete.” Go show The world that you’re a force to be reckoned with

LISTENING TO THE TREES 127

Not My President Jessica Parra Ventura

What has our country come to? Who would’ve thought there was so much Hate living in a person’s heart? Make America Great Again? When was America great? A white man thinking he is powerful ‘cause of his skin color Beating And treating Men of color like rodents. You think that’s great? Calling Latinos rapists and criminals Calling Muslims terrorists Saying African Americans are irrelevant and uneducated You think that’s great? I am a proud Hispanic young lady And I don’t know what’s next for me “Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes?” Teardrops flowing down my dark cheek?

128 We Are The Warriors

Weakened by words coming out of your soulless body And uneducated brain? Why? Why do you live with so much hate? I don’t understand. All I want is the best for all To love each other And care for all No matter what skin color, race, or religion Why don’t you want that for all? We are all the same All human beings Why not unite us instead of dividing us? Not based on skin color, race, and religion We ALL deserve respect and equality. Our ancestors fought for equality and freedom We’ve come this far Why ruin it? But yet there are many mountains yet to climb. We will NOT rest until every American enjoys our birthright And a light shines in the darkness And the darkness SHALL NOT overcome it But still asking myself What does God have in store for us for the next few years? Not My President

LISTENING TO THE TREES 129

Pride

Mia Rodriguez My brown curls are growing out spiralling in different directions My brown skin is tanned like the sand of where I come from or the inside of a chocolate Twix bar Is it bad that I have pride in that? My languages define me They bring me together like two magnets Til they ask, “You’re Spanish?” Si, y yo entiendo muy bien Is it bad that I have pride in that? There’s a wall being built For us Hispanics since we “live off a system” But they don’t know this wall blocks a pathway to a beneficial future Is it bad that I have pride in that? Stereotypes don’t define me I have more pride than fireworks in a 4th of July sky

130 We Are The Warriors

Equality Briana Jimenez

We are all different in our own beautiful way. People, like apples, come in all colors, shapes, and sizes. Some prefer the sourness of a bright Granny Smith or a juicy classic red apple or even a bright yellow sweet apple. It’s not about what’s on the outside; that’s just a bonus. What should really matter is what’s on the inside, the personality. Love has no limits. Equality! We are all human. We all come here by birth and shall all leave in death. We should all be equal. We should be equal in status, equal in rights, equal in opportunities, and equal in freedom. Equality is the key to happiness. Take a stand: NO homophobia, YES kindness. NO violence, YES peace. NO racism, YES love. NO sexism, YES equality! We should walk wearing our strength and dignity with our heads held high, united, together forever.

LISTENING TO THE TREES 131

132 We Are The Warriors

Words Can Express More Than Irregular Thoughts Edina Dedusnevic

I am a white privileged female; I don’t quite adore it I am a white privileged female who gets things in a heartbeat Like a goddess, social monarchy Why is it like this; I don’t quite adore it Pain speaks in my heart every day A sense of having “more” I know exactly how poor feels; my mother and family were tragically robbed I know the feeling of sobbing cries Just like a lion, fierce is who me and my family are The door calls me, shouting every night We are treated as puppets The cops, the White House are our bosses A voice, it better be heard and it is Sobbing cries, fears and tears of losing a loved one Makes me feel sicker than a hospital Change is what we need Voices need to be heard The smell of blood like copper, metal Pain is what we feel as humans Please make change or things will get worse Yes, we all matter, we all do Right now let’s focus on our darker brothers and sisters Diverse, our beautiful talented diverse people Our same-sex lovers, who I cherish moments with Our immigrants who struggled with leaving their countries Just like an army we need to fight for our given rights We need to smile so hard at arrogant people I am your sister, your friendly helper, and I’ll always be that

LISTENING TO THE TREES 133

Mind Games Gloria Almenas

Do you see me now? Have you ever seen me cry? Different The word that describes everyone We are who we are Nothing has changed that Mind games They have convinced us that they protected us But from all the social media and attention that we caught From all the graphic content we see, A bullet is shot By the man in blue to the innocent man They have proved to us That they don’t care about us Did I ever have to notice I’ve been standing here Speaking my words Our words Full of anger, frustration From the brutality of the men in blue We will shout, scream, fight Against everything that you have put us through You’re giving us a president That sends us a bad example To America For all the people to listen

134 We Are The Warriors

We can protest Fight like lions, scream and shout for our equality To be free Instead of being treated differently by the cops Hurt by the people Who are supposed to protect us Who should arrest those who made a felony Instead of discriminating our race And killing those we love Have you seen me cry? Have you seen others cry? Have you seen the chaos around America? Apparently not Because in your eyes, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re invisible And to us, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not listening

LISTENING TO THE TREES 135

Black + Bold Kerlea Clarke

We talk but everyone acts as if they can’t hear No response No actions shown We say we have a lot of confidence But do we really? If we did we would be afraid Showing these soup noodles we have as curl patterns The pain that grew over time from past events The scars that were left from all these beatings Or the amount of knowledge we have gained Black women are supposed to stand out Make a difference Not stand in a corner Because of all the negativity We are supposed to grow stronger We try too hard to show our true beauty and intelligence But someone always tries to question it Smart remarks But we continue To try Everyone thinks it’s easy Being a Black female It’s harder than you think We have to show the world Prove them wrong We are strong Intelligent Not just beautiful

136 We Are The Warriors

These curls have a meaning We each represent Something important Each shade It’s time Finally to show all of our confidence We can’t always stay in that corner We can’t continue to hide Make changes Not try to make a change We have to use our voices Loud So everyone can hear Pay attention We have to stand up for our blacks Who will If we don’t?

LISTENING TO THE TREES 137

PAGE 14

From Hamilton, Jahruwach’s “Woman,” I come in too many flavors for one f—ing spoon Chin, Staceyann. “Feminist or a Womanist”. YouTube video, 3:33. Posted [March 2007] . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQOmyebFVV8

PAGE 38

From James, Akeilya’s poem “Black Beauty,” “brown sugar, honey, cocoa, and gold. And the strength of ten thousand moons" “About Us.” Cocoa Queens Hair. ND. Accessed November, 2016. http://cocoaqueenshair.com/about-us/

PAGE 122

From Simmons, Ashney’s “What’s the Difference?” “You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise you would threaten the man.” Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. We Should All Be Feminists. New York: Anchor Books, 2015.

PAGE 128

From Parra Ventura, Jessica’s “Not My President,” “Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes?” Angelou, Maya. “Still Rise,” And Still I Rise. New York: Random House, 1978.

826NYC and The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. 372 Fifth Ave Brooklyn, NY 11215 718.499.9884 www.826nyc.org Joshua Mandelbaum, Executive Director Rebecca Darugar, Director of Education Erin Cass, Development Manager John Anspach, Development Coordinator Liz Levine, Volunteer and Programs Coordinator Sabrina Alli, Writersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Room Coordinator Brancey Mora, Programs Coordinator Rose Connelly, Programs Coordinator Nico Garbaccio, Programs Associate Ian Lloyd, Volunteer Associate Chris Eckert, Store Manager

826NYC Programs After-School Tutoring We offer free tutoring five days per week for ages six to eighteen. Students work with volunteer tutors in small groups to finish homework assignments, complete independent writing projects, and read independently, in pairs, or in groups. We serve students of all skill level and interests and work with parents and teachers to create independent learning objectives and support plans for struggling students. Evening and Weekend Workshops

We offer free, writing-based workshops that provide in-depth instruction in a variety of subjects that schools often cannot include in their curricula. These workshops cover topics such as college entrance essays, comic book-making, creative writing, journalism, poetry, and filmmaking. All workshops are taught by working professionals from our volunteer base and are limited in size to ensure that students receive plenty of individual attention. In-School Support for Teachers

The strength of our volunteer base allows us to provide in-school support to work with students in New York City classrooms. We recognize that large class sizes make it increasingly difficult for teachers to provide individualized feedback and guidance on research and writing. To that end, we send volunteers to the classroom to assist teachers with providing this essential one-on-one support. We offer full-time in-schools programming in our Writers’ Room at PS/MS 7 and Global Tech Prep in East Harlem. Hosted Field Trips

826NYC welcomes classes from public schools for mornings of high-energy storytelling activities. Our most popular field trip is our Storytelling and Bookmaking project, in which elementary school students write, illustrate, publish, and bind their own books in a two-hour session. At the conclusion of this trip, each student leaves with his or her own copy of the book and a newfound excitement for writing. Our other field trips cover topics such as memoir writing, screenwriting, and more. Student Publications

Through our writing workshops and after-school tutoring program, our volunteers work with students to help them create stories, poems, and ‘zines. Because we believe that the quality of students’ work is greatly enhanced when they are given the chance to share it with an authentic audience, we are committed to publishing student works. By encouraging their work and by guiding them through the process of publication, we make it abundantly clear that their ideas are valued.

ISBN 978-1-934750-78-0

9 781934 750780