The Tipping Point
“Every man who has in his soul a secret feeling of revolt against any act of the State, of life, or of destiny, is on the verge of riot; and so soon as it appears, he begins to quiver, and to feel himself borne away by the whirlwind.”- Victor Hugo In between the ABC’s and […]
bittersweet sixteen
i bite the watermelon slice you cut me this morning for breakfast.juice dribbles on the edgeof my plate, a crack is forming wherei dropped it last tuesday. i taste the sweet crunch and chew as i chewand swallow it all down. sugar is the best medicine, they say. well— i say it is sweet butonly on the tip of your […]
One Day; A Letter to Myself from a Brighter Future
Dear Alina, The world is a changed place. I used to say that humanity has a disposition for conflict and the dream for ‘world peace’ was just that, a wish manifested in our minds while we slept. I desperately wanted the diversity amongst people to be lauded as a testament to the strength of our individuality […]
Speak Up
No one would have expected 2020 to go the way it’s going. From raging fires to a renowned athlete’s death to a global pandemic, the world was left in shock. Still, there is one uproar that is far more surprising. It’s the racism inherently present in America. In May 2020, the death of George Floyd sparked […]
Chromatic
I CAN’T BREATHE NO JUSTICE NO PEACE Angry voices fill my head through my earbuds. They are outraged and they are disgusted and they are grieving. I turn off my phone and look outside, through the windows of my double doors. Up here, my sky is bright blue. An hour from here, theirs is gray […]
The Empty Eyes
A dark road. An empty street. A lone man. I could not askfor more perfect conditions. I pulled up the hoodie of my grey sweatshirt,hands shaking as I did so. I cursed myself; I could not, I would not, I cannot falter.I sank deeper into the alley to quiet the roaring thumps in my chest. It wastoo […]
For the Villians
I’m going to lose. I wish I was told this before I invested four years in university and three years of law school in Maryland. Time that could’ve been spent partying with raised champagne glasses, or discovering the motherland where my elders once roamed, or even falling in love with someone who I couldn’t fathom […]
The Middle
“And America, too, is a delusion, the grandest one of all” -Colson Whitehead, author of “Underground Railroad” The world feels so cold sometimes– not ice-cold–more like half-done microwaved ravioli cold. Those on the edges are warmed by privilege, but for the middle, well, they aren’t. ‘God bless America,’ they tell me, God bless a native […]
Impartial or Blind?
Langston Hughes once said, That Justice is a blind goddess Is a thing to which we black are wise: Her bandage hides two festering sores That once perhaps were eyes. To this, I sigh. His words, only four verses, echo down vacant courthouses, silent churches, and empty firearm chambers. To speak of justice, is to […]
The Future That We’re Fighting For.
I often find myself unraveling the ugly truths about Americaquite often in my 17 years of life. Many people talk about freedom, or justice,or equality but never bring up African Americans and our struggle to obtain it.For many African Americans it almost seems as if it has become second nature tonotice injustice, speak on it, and […]
#JusticeIsNotServed
Interviewer – “If anyone in the audience hadn’t heard it already, these were the exact words of Ms. Lynon” “Yes, Carters Reynoldsburg High School, where youth care more about their ‘street cred’ than their actual education. A failing public district school that doesn’t seem to produce any more graduates than they do criminals. At Reynoldsburg, […]
What can we do to be heard and why do we need to share our voices more than ever?
It seems as if over the past few months there has been a shift in the world. A shift that has been long overdue and one that will continue to emanate worldwide. You may think I am referencing the violence, the discrimination, and the chaos going on. I’m glad to say that this is not […]
To Dream of Justice
Silence. Terrible, unceasing silence. That is what’s left after watching George Floyd plead for his life, crying “I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.” Horrifying, deafening silence. It’s the calm before the raging storm. Toss. I close my laptop, unable to stare at the screen any longer. I pace back and forth in my room. Posters […]
Dear Black America
Dear black America, When I look at you I see black. I recognize we are not the same because I cannot ignore your color. Because whether or not you are a recent immigrant or your family was brought here by slavery, this country is different for me and for you. The reason I say black […]
