Snap Notts: Anti-Racism Protest

poem: Ravelle-Sadé Fairman

photos: Tom Morley

We gather in our thousands

Spanning all walks of life:

A visual representation that this isn’t

Black vs White

Because we are united

And here to fight the same fight Under one banner –

Black Lives Matter.

Pain can be felt in the roars of applause

Much needed hope can be heard in the cheers –

A communal sense of release

In the face of propagated fear

I lift my young daughter in the air

And remind her of why we’re here:

To protect the rights of your beautiful skin

And overcome fear of your inherent melanin.

For when we stand

We stand in strength

We stand in solidarity

We stand for real change

For real equality

We stand in compassion

We stand in validation

We stand for accurate education

Free of indoctrination

Because we are more than tokens

More than meeting diversity quotas

More than Black History Month

More than thugs with hoods

More than sports personalities

More than stereotyped actors

Black Lives don’t just matter –

They shape

They uplift

They enrich

They empower

They create

They motivate

They nurture

Black Lives inspire.