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We Will Rise: A Spoken Word About Inequality For Black Women in America

As a black woman in America I wanted to write something that reflected how I feel about the inequality that we endure due to our double barrier: gender and race.

NiaSymone Francisco

Feb 22, 2020

University of South Florida

We Will Rise: A Spoken Word About Inequality For Black Women in America

Pinterest.com

Pain and suffering,

Trial and tribulation,

Heart breaking sensation...

Do you know?

Do you know what it's like to be black in America?

Do you know what it's like being a black woman in America?

Fighting two barriers of inequality every single day...

Race and gender.

Trying our hardest to rise above our oppressors

We stand tall and stand proud,
Demanding our equal rights in the crowd

We are conflicted...

Conflicted with the image that society has painted for us…

Are we supposed to be loud and angry or submissive and dainty?

Am I supposed to be your mammy or am I supposed to stand up to your tyranny?

No matter what we try, we are seen as too hard or too soft…

Where does my mysterious happy medium exist?

Tell me why I am being put in a box just for you to suppress my superiority?

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired,

You need to see that I am not skin and I am not my gender,

I'm not saying I'm a pretender and I'm definitely not suggesting color blindness...

I'm simply saying that black women are humans with feelings,

and we are fed up with dealing with this cruel and wicked world…

Don't belittle me or swaddle me because you're scared of my potential!

Damn it, let me be great because in the words of Andra Day, I will rise up, rise like the day...

I will find a place on this earth where I will be celebrated and elevated, appreciated and educated, and my black girl magic can radiate,

So when I come out on top there'll be no debate, when my melanated self says checkmate...

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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We Will Rise: A Spoken Word About Inequality For Black Women in America

As a black woman in America I wanted to write something that reflected how I feel about the inequality that we endure due to our double barrier: gender and race.

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It's not just business as usual.

Constantly having to dress business formal.

Group projects.

Applying for internships.

Being told your major is easy.

You just want to be rich already.

Explaining to people why you're a business major.

Using LinkedIn like it's Facebook.

You grow up too fast.

Trying way too hard to make a good impression on companies at career fairs.

Many of your professors have foreign accents.

You don't want to graduate, but you know that you're more than ready.

10 things that most incoming college freshmen have no idea about.

Your Schedule

The Library

Time Management

Registration

Housing

The Dining Hall

Teachers

Clubs

High School Friends

Finals

It's not all morning coffees and singing along to the radio.

You can't just go to your room to take a nap in the middle of your classes.

Having to spend all your extra cash on gas for your car.

Speaking of money, you probably don't have a meal plan so you're forced to scrounge up some change or mooch off of your friends.

It can be harder to maintain the friendships you make with people from class.

Finding a parking spot.

It can be harder to be involved on campus because between your one, two, or three jobs and school you don't have much free time.

When you try to be super involved on campus, it can kill your sleep schedule.

It's impossible to do homework at home, but staying on campus isn't an option sometimes.

There are surveys and events that you can't participate in because you're a commuter.

Group projects are the bane of your existence.

Traffic.

Your backpack rivals that of a survivalist trekking in the woods.

Driving all the way to campus to find a note on the door of your classroom saying class was cancelled.

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

1. When he just wanted bacon from his George Foreman grill

2. When he had money (and Jan) issues

3. When he got upstaged at Phyllis' wedding

4. When he unintentionally saved Meredith from rabies

5. When he wore a "bisexual" suit

6. When he had to apologize to Jesus

7. When his GPS drove him into a lake

8. When he had to deal with Ryan as his boss

9. When he couldn't fulfill his most generous empty promise

10. When this happened

11. When he struggled with a X-Mas break up

12. When he had to defend his generosity

13. When he threw a classy Christmas party for Holly but she had a boyfriend

14. When he had to stand up to peer pressure

15. When Toby was "Toby-ish"

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

Run Around Clanging Pots and Pans in Everyone's Face

Eat the Last Few Pigs in a Blanket

Pop Twelve White Grapes

Burn Something

Smash Things Against a Wall

Spontaneously Begin an Irish Jig

Call Your Mother

Throw a Coffee Table Out a Window

Sing "Auld Lang Syne" at the Top of Your Lungs

Do Some Squats

Swan Dive into a Nearly Freezing Body of Water

Take a Shot

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